some friends I want you to meet...

A couple weeks ago at the Sketchbook Pop Up Shop I helped run a little workshop on blogging with Jill. To be honest, I half expected that we would just have a little chat with each other... surely no one was going to show, right? Well, I was seriously wrong. Some really incredible people rocked up and it was quite the encouraging experience. There is a really great network of bloggers around London and I'm so thrilled to have gotten the opportunity to meet so many of them. Although our friendships are all very new I feel I know them well already from following their blogs and their tweets. Not only are they all seriously stylish but they are also bizarrely brainy (studying law, politics etc) and so friendly. One of the overarching themes of our talk was about how to keep your head above the water and get noticed in a blogosphere that can feel over-saturated. My advice? Get out there, don't be afraid to get involved in events and activities that are taking place - being able to put a real live face to a blog goes a very long way. So, with all that said... I'd like to introduce you to some of my new friends. I wont say much about them because I'll let their blogs do the talking: Toni of The Fashion Cloud (whose bracelet I am seriously drooling all over), Tobi - who is one part of the duo behind Style by Queens (loving her mixture of a dainty little floral dress with tough biker boots and an army jacket), Iris of London Fashion Diary (how sweet are her layered florals?), and Natayla of Treasures of a Ladybug (whose YSL bag I am totally coveting).

p.s. If you'd like to find out about upcoming London blogger get togethers contact me and I'll add you to my mailing list. Also, why don't you join the conversation and follow me on twitter.

what's your poison?

girls, shoes, and obsession seem to be an inescapable combination. the girl wearing these marc jacobs mouse flats said she had fifteen different pairs... fifteen! what is it about shoes that make us totally lose all sense of reality? flats, stilettos, wedges, sneakers, boots, clogs and everything else in between... they have the power to make some of us go totally bonkers.

so, what's your poison - a particular sort of shoe or something else entirely?

expect the unexpected...

there is no doubt about it - i'm a blog junkie. although this addiction might not be quite as destructive as the substance abuse that other addicts dabble in it has managed to alter my daily existence. mind you, i'm a bit under the weather and, as a result, most ordinary things are taking on a momentous character... i blame it on the lack of sleep and copious amounts of cough medicine that mr. crusader keeps trying to force feed me. but nevertheless, this world of blogging has been influential in my life over the last nine months. no doubt, had i refrained from starting this little entity more time would have been spent studying and my chance of graduating with a distinction would be highly more likely. never mind that though, some sacrifices are worth making. one thing this has all taught me is that you need not cast yourself into a single category and you should always avoid preconceptions that have the power to hold you back.

so what does this all have to do with shini? well, in my mind she is one of the best bloggers around and not just because she gets thousands of hits a day. she is insanely talented and driven. her photographs are beautiful, her posts are well written (just the right mix of clever, quirky, and insightful), she always manages to throw together the most original and inspiring outfits, she's a master at diy projects (being able to turn the most mundane item into something crazy-covetable) and to top it all off she is ludicrously down to earth. when i first met her at fashion week she seemed genuinely surprised that i had seen her blog (whereas another person introduced them self to me as being 'the next big thing' on the London blogging scene - needless to say they really weren't). humility and charisma go hand-in-hand in my books and to my mind shini has got the combination down just right. she is the nicest girl around and the most genuine. she doesn't take herself too seriously or let any of the hype get to her head. i absolutely adore her. she, along with every thing else i have experienced so far, was definitely not what i was expecting from my ever growing blog addiction...

Shini wears: Uniqlo sweatshirt, Gmarket jeans, scarf and shoes, Cos bracelet, Timex watch, DIY on vintage bag. To see more photos I took of Shini and her shiny new bike on that same day click here.

i'll set your world on fire...

thursday night i took a much needed break from the relentless studying and went to a gig at the barfly in london. think about life were playing and, while i realize this isn't a music blog, can i just say that they were absolutely incredible. never before have i seen so much energy and enthusiasm from a band and, in particular, their lead singer Martin Cesar. it really was electrifying. plus, it didn't hurt that he dedicated what happens to be my favourite song 'set you on fire' to me... what can i say, i'm easily won over. while his confidence on stage was undeniable as soon as he stepped off he was completely down to earth and didn't exude the loftiness of a performer whatsoever. he wore some pretty awesome multi-coloured boating shoes that i sadly didn't manage to capture. afterwards, the equally cool Connor Hanwick and Jonathan Pierce from the new york based group the drums did a DJ set.

there were lots of cool kids around and in particular i spotted this pair who were seriously rocking out during the gig. the guy, who mentioned he works for Mark Fast, was wearing this awesome studded denim vest (vintage levis diy possibly? i'm not too sure - i didn't have the chance to ask). i also love the way the girl, who was with the band, is playing with proportions. the high waisted straight red skirt with the very oversized flannel is a refreshing twist on the normal short stretchy bandeau skirts that everyone has been wearing. on our way home mr. crusader trooped around the insanely bright corner shop in search of salt & vinegar crisps... sadly they were all sold out. but it offered yet another example of bright colours.... paired together in a random and haphazard manner - they somehow work to create something appealing. what do you think, can a convenience store qualify as fashion inspiration?

p.s. that's my red bag he's carrying, don't worry, he hasn't pulled a joey and opted for a girly man-bag.

take me to the House of Holland...

while walking to the tube in camden last night i happened to pass by the illustrious Henry Holland. 'wait, was that just...' i muttered before turning around and running back. 'are you... could i....?' he very kindly obliged while looking to his friend and saying he was a bit embarrassed. normally he's spotted with a host of london's most fashionable and elite young-things dripped over his arm - no doubt, likely to be wearing one of his creations. but, no matter - i was pretty pleased i noticed him looking all paired down in a denim jacket, black hoodie, and brightly coloured rucksack. i have predominately known him for the provocative slogan t-shirts that shot him to fame back in 2007 and more recently for his line of quirky but quite covetable tights. after having a peek at his most recent autumn 2010 line though it's pretty clear he's got a lot more up his sleeve than just that. the reworked bandana print that was splattered all over a host of his creations is a fresh and funky take on the more traditional paisley print. i could seriously do with some of that in my life along with the bold stripes. mixed prints? yes please - especially when they look as good as these.

runway photos from style.com

we should all have 'one language'...

not since summer 2007, when the anya hindmarch oh-so-covetable 'not a plastic bag' was launched, have i been so enthralled by canvas. i have a whole host of eco-friendly bags draped over the back of my kitchen door that i drag to the shops with me and god knows i don't need another to add to the mix. but for some reason these one language little beauties have seriously caught my fancy and really think i would use them for so much more than just lugging my milk home from the local tesco. the little gems sprang forth from the creative imagination of two sisters living in New York who wanted to be earth-friendly but not sacrifice on style or quality and i think that is exactly what makes their bags so desirable. the short handles, shape, hand written inspirational quotes that line the interior, inner laptop sleeves, and quirky emblems make them so much more than just another eco-warrior's go-to bag. i am seriously craving the 'haute' one pictured above... it would be perfect to lug around my camera, spare shoes, and notebooks. plus, poking fun at the extortionately overpriced leather handbags most of the fashionistas around london sport is always an added bonus in my books. you can check out the whole collection here.

add a slick pop of colour to your wardrobe...

there are those of us who live life in blacks and greys and then there are those who swim in a sea full of colour. kit of style slicker is certainly in the latter category. since the first time i met her she's been inspiring me with her clever and well placed use of bright pop colours. from the littlest of details (see nails, ipod, earphones, and socks) straight up to her shoes and cardigan - kit mixes just the right amount of colour with neutrals to create a distinct and very spring appropriate look. plus, she tops it all off with the most contagiously authentic smile - what's not to like about that? maybe we could all do with a bit more colour in our lives.

take a chill pill...

last thursday i met up with the seriously cool daniella from the f blog. i absolutely adore her style. long wavy blonde locks, army jacket, denim shorts, doc martins and socks, fingers covered in rings... she just oozes an enviable laid back nonchalant vibe. she moved to london with a few friends from canada about six months ago and has since been skipping around europe and traveling to new places. generally just trying to soak up as much culture and fun as she can along the way. she has got such a great attitude and is totally open to whatever the future might bring her way. while i'm currently smack dab in the middle of the most stressful six weeks of my life (not to be melodramatic but masters level exams are not my idea of a good time), daniella was a total breath of fresh air and a firm reminder to me that sometimes i need to just take a step back from it all and take a chill pill.

taking photos in front of the sketchbook pop up shop on newburgh street with shini of park & cube and jill of street style london.

here kitty kitty....

not much of a trendster or a fashionista in the rarest form, i'm pretty content wearing jeans and a hoodie most days. i can't just 'roll out of bed, throw on whatever i see first' and look like i walked straight out of a vogue editorial. i decided to throw caution to the wind last thursday though and don some serious spring/summer trends. mixed prints? check. denim jacket? check. wooden clogs? check. ready to take on the world? check check check. british weather has decided to go all winter on our sorry bootys and as a result i had to bust out my opaques. i swore weeks ago (when the sun was shining feverishly) that i would not subject my pins to such entrapment until the autumn - sadly with temperatures getting ominously close to freezing that wasn't an option. i was totally unaware at the time that my miu miu inspired zara dress has developed a bit of a cult following in the blogger world. toni of the fashion cloud has put together a great post on all the people she's seen wearing it. honestly, i look at a lot of blogs - how did i not notice this?

photos by (in order of appearance): shini of park & cube, toni of the fashion cloud & jill of street style london. wearing: zara cat print dress, gap denim jacket, jigsaw striped top, turquise bracelet from egypt, moheda toffeln clogs, alexander mcqueen bag, chanel blue satin nail polish. oh, and i'm talking to the lovely iris of london fashion diary - but more on her, and the other bloggers i met at the sketchbook pop up shop, later.

put your best clog forward...

i've had a few e-mails from people asking how to get hold of these moheda toffeln clogs. as they aren't the most conventional or widespread of clogs i thought i'd give a little run down on how to find them. i ordered mine from the manufacturers original site to avoid paying any marked up fees. start by going to the moheda toffeln website. you can chose from a range of styles or just go straight to my pair. pick how many pairs you want (antal), your size (storlek), and add them to your basket (Lagg till krogen). when you are ready to purchase click onto till kassan. the only part that might get confusing is at the checkout where you can select 'Privatperson samt Foretag, Leverans till Ultamingingsstalle.' this just means that you are going to have it shipped the cheapest way possible. this is what i selected and once my order was processed i received it after just a few days and we didn't even have to pay any shipping fees. if you've got any questions just let me know or use google translate. i seriously love these little clogs. they are super comfy and were really easy to walk in even when wearing them with tights. they don't slip or rub and i haven't even fallen - despite the cobblestone roads over here. plus, if you aren't sure about spending a lot of money to buy into the clog trend and want something that is quite traditional i would definitely recommend this pair.

p.s. the price converts to 26 GBP which is a total bargain.

clash it.

double denim: most commentators are saying that in order to wear it you've got to mix your shades. pair your darkest hues with more faded ones to ensure your look tilts more towards chic 2010 than early noughties pop star gone wrong. while this is the dominant voice emerging from the fashion world that's not what dolce, henry, jeremy and sienna put down the runway. they opted for identical shades worn without fear or hesitation. vogue knows, it's all about head to toe in the same shade. while we're at it, we might as well throw off all measures of conventionality... red and pink? suddenly looking very chic.

Emearld wears: vintage levis jacket, topshop jeans, jigsaw sunglasses, chloe bag.

Topshop Makeup Launch...

Topshop's new makeup line has officially launched here in the UK and to help you discover which colours and products to go for they have launched a virtual makeover site. It is hilarious, so easy to use, and actually works quite well. All you have to do is upload a standard boring photo of yourself without any makeup and then you can test out all their items. They even have a selection of '1 click looks' that you can try out that feature makeup trends used on their models. As you can see by my examples... they are probably best left to the photo shoots. Proceed with caution: this is one serious tool for time wasting, but it is so fun! I am loving all their lipstick colours!

what do you think? which face of the style crusader do you prefer?

first look: Sketchbook blogger workshop...

just want to send out a very big thank you to everyone that rocked up to the Sketchbook Popup Shop yesterday for the getting started discussion jill and i hosted on blogging. it was really quite inspiring to meet other people who are trying to establish themselves and find their place in this weird and wonderful blogosphere. it was also such a treat to get to get to check out the pop up shop again. they have a new exhibition up and, if you haven't been already, you really should try to make it over. i can't recommend it enough.

bust out the old...

i had totally forgotten about this strand of turquoise that i got in egypt a few years ago. originally i had intended it to be a long necklace but seems much more fitting these days wrapped around my wrist. if your in britain you've got 30 minutes left to get your vote in... it's polling day and tomorrow morning we'll know who the new prime minister is, if all goes according to plan.

so, are we going to be busting out the old or possibly just reinventing it a bit?

fancy a chat?

i can't promise that we'll sit in the sunshine, eat delicious pastries or sip on lattes but i can promise you a good chat. if your free tomorrow at 3pm and in the London area then pop over to the Sketchbook Pop Up Shop located at the heart of Newburgh Quarter. Jill and I are hosting a workshop, as part of the Getting Started lecture series, on what it means to be a blogger in this day and age when there are thousands to shuffle through online. even if your not an active blogger you are welcome to come along, it would be great to see some of your beautiful faces in person. plus, if you haven't checked out Sketchbook Magazine's gem of a pop up shop yet you really should - it's pretty incredible and wont be around for much longer.

above photos of me taken by the wonderful jill - while i waited for her in the sunshine at pauls. wearing - topshop leopard print headband, zip detail harem trousers, and sunglasses, gap cardigan, j.crew sequined t-shirt, shoes from some random american shop.