Babes in the Wood

Hello my lovely dolls!

A non fashion related post today; I went to a place in Andover Hampshire near to where my parents live, called the New Forest Wildlife Park where they conserve otters worldwide as well as British and indigenous European wildlife. Even though otters are the main park's passion, their other animals include badgers, four types of deer, wild boar, owls, pine martens, Scottish wildcats, northern lynx, and most recently, a pack of European wolves. 

It was such a nice day to explore the forest and see the animals all bright and cheerful. Above are a bevy of Asian Short Clawed otters, who greeted each person that turned the corner with chattered squeaks and unified scout position postures. Whilst not mistaking visitors for keepers with food, the otters love to play with stones and often 'juggle' with them, carrying their favorite stone around everywhere they go.

The Roe deer that roam around the conservation are some of the most friendly species of deer - there is one particular doe that my mother and I call the 'Mum' deer, as she is a very patient old creature who is always calm and pleasant to each visitor, and has no problem with children stroking her coat. However below is a young male Sika deer whose little antlers can be seen protruding from his head. Bambi springs to mind, even though he was a Roe deer.... the 'Mum' Roe deer is, in my eyes, the living characterization of Bambi's Mum. 

And my favorite shot of the day is of the smallest creature in the park; the harvest mouse! It was nice to see fully grown (little finger size), happy, living and breathing mice - my last brush with a harvest mouse was my rescue of some babies from being a cat's dinner! The full story can be found in my post "Foxy Moments with Mulberry".

Guys and Dolls, tomorrow I am moving back up to Newcastle for University, so I am afraid I won't be able to post until next Friday, as that is when we get our internet installed in the new house :( I shall miss posting and reading all of your blogs! But never fear, as I shall be preparing more posts about A/W trends, styling, and my latest garment purchases.

Don't forget me, and see you next Friday :D

Doll love xXx

Cheap and Cheerful

Hey guys and dolls!

I've been shopping A LOT since coming home for the summer, trying to build up my wardrobe for not only winter but also for my upcoming fashion placement year. I'm about to embark on my second year at University and I am very excited because our course incorporates placement opportunities into the second and third year modules. Think 'The Devil wears Prada' meets a nervous yet passionate Ginger Doll being thrown into a shark tank of 'Mean Girls' drama... Exciting times ahead XD

So, I need to invest in cheap yet fashionable clothing and accessories to enhance my own style with smart office wear in mind - I want to be the intern that they remember!!!

^ Black lace insert boots: £14.90 Primark ^

It was surprisingly sunny today, therefore I thought I'd wander into my field like garden, and have a fun shoot  with my cheap purchases. Above, is my boot investment for the winter snowy months in Newcastle, as last year we had solid snow on the ground for over a month! I will later buy some proper snow boots, so if anyone knows any good cheapish brands please leave me a comment!!

I am normally quiet apprehensive when buying shoes from Primark, because the quality and durability can sometimes be questionable, but as you can see, I have made an exception. They are very sturdy and fit well; stylish lace design, yet practical.  

^ Brown leather ribbon brogues: Sale £10 New Look ^

My bargain of the year are these pair of leather brogues! I thought I'd checkout the shoe sale rack in a bid to pass some time whilst my best friend was deciding on a pair of jeans, when I stuck gold. I have been searching for some brown brogues for awhile, so I was thrilled to find these real leather shoes at more than half the price! Originally £40, these £10 sale brogues are simply brimming with brown brilliance. 

^ Brown bird print chiffon shirt: £22.99 New Look ^

 I also spotted this gorgeous chiffon shirt whilst exploring the racks in New Look; light fabric, corporate style shirt with a twist, artistic bird print oozing with this Autumns Heritage trend potential - I just had to buy it!

How are you preparing your wardrobe for this Autumn/Winter?

Are you inspired by the catwalk trends, or are thinking of comfort and practicality?

Doll love xXx

Colour Me *Blue*

Hey guys and dolls :)

I have recently joined Twitter, and been having fun writing random tweets and adding all my favorite shops, brands, and friends. I also thought it would be a good way of keeping up with trends, blogs, and fashion news. It is quite an addiction I must admit! However, I was very surprised at the number of fashion competitions and product giveaways advertised on Twitter. So I thought I'd go in for a few!

I was following the official Dainty Doll UK twitter page when I came across the fun competition of fictitiously renaming the brand; I called it Porcelain Promise. As I am one of those people who NEVER wins anything, so I was overjoyed to learn that I was among the lucky few that won a product from the Dainty Doll collection! 

The above eyeshadow is called Copacabana 004. 

The eyeshadow is powdery yet creamy, and it can be worn lightly for an understated look or it can be layered to give an intense wow factor to your eyes. I myself, wear Dainty Doll's pink eyeshadow 'Teach Me Tiger', and I love it! The coverage is great and it stays consistent throughout the day.

A lot of you know that Nicola Roberts is my fashion idol; I buy the products from her makeup range and I am loving her solo music career, so winning a prize created by my favorite ginger doll, made me ecstatic! The Dainty Doll range was originally exclusive to Harrods, but now it is available in store at Boots!!! This Doll is a very happy bunny!

I hope you liked this short post!
You can follow me on Twitter if you wish, to receive updates of my blog posts and witness my general crazy tweets; GingerDollSazz

Doll love xXx

Tusk-tastic!

Hey guys and dolls!

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my last post, it really made me smile XD I'm very excited for Autumn!

A mini trend which is dominating the accessory market is Navajo tusks - no animals were harmed in the making of this post! So, I present to you designer Isabel Marant's 2011 Fall collection, based on Native American Navajo culture with a sportswear denim twist. A very exciting collection indeed, which incorporates fringing with oversized jumpers, embroidery, and wooly coats to keep you warm this Autumn/Winter.

Isabel Marant Tusk necklace 

Look at that fringing... Amongst the swishing tassels and monochromatic drama, a simple statement necklace stands out giving added texture and elegance to a chic disheveled look. The Topshop necklace below would make a perfect companion to a slouchy jumper or oversized tee; it combines the fringing element by staggering multiple black tusks around the bejeweled collar. The more I look at this necklace, the more I wish I could allow myself to spend the priced amount - sad jewelry lust times!

Chain and Tusk collar necklace: Topshop £28

However, I discovered this white tusk beauty at H&M for around £3.99! Bargain buy of the week... well my previous post had many bargain buys, but in this tusk trend, I think £3.99 pretty much wins the bargain award. H&M also have this necklace with a black tusk and silver chain; the chain length reaches my belly button, which is perfect for a stylish unkempt Navajo ensemble! 

The above picture is from Cynthia Rowley 's Resort collection 2012 that introduces a larger thicker tusk necklace on a more chic simplistic look, which will be perfect for this coming Spring. I also did a review on Cynthia Rowley's collection in my "hold me, wrap me up, unfold me......" post, so check it out if you wish :)

Hope you all enjoyed this post and are craving for some tusk-tastic accessory action! 

Oooo, I have a mission for you all; what do you think of this Aztec print oversized cardigan? I'm thinking of buying it as it is very Navajo comfy chic XD

Doll love xXx

Autumnal Jewel Trend

Jewel tones are huge this season; with ruby, sapphire, citrine and garnet being a few of the many colours to choose from this rich palette, winter promises to be bright and dazzling.

As I love to deck myself out in rings and jewelry, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to purchase some gems when I went to do a spot of shopping the other day. I was blinded by the jewelry section in Dorothy Perkins! There were many different styles and accessory types, all neatly organized according to their gem shade. It all looked very beautiful, oozing with splendor and purchasing promise!

White dappled stone cage ring: Dorothy Perkins, sale £2
Emerald block ring: New Look £2.99
Amethyst octagon gemstone: Asos.com sale £5
Gold rope necklace: Dorothy Perkins, sale £2

Ruby friendship bracelet: Dorothy Perkins, sale £2
Emerald block ring: New Look £2.99 

This lush jewel colour palette has become the new black; various saturated shades have graced the Autumn/Winter runways in fine silks and satin folds, proving to be the trend in every designer's mind.
Designers such as Erdem, Roland Mouret, Paul and Joe, and Gucci, have created sophisticated evening wear to showcase these glistening gem beauties to their full impact. The idea is to evoke happiness and power by styling structure with luxe floating fabrics, combining conflicting and contrasting colours to make you feel like a diamond among pearls! 

On the left we have gorgeous green jades and emeralds from Gucci's A/W 2011 collection, who is my favorite designer for showcasing the jewel trend this season - check out their rich and luxurious collection details here. Layering and build up accessories that conflict in colour and fabric is a *Doll Tip* to achieving the bejeweled look this autumn.

On the right, is a picture of me wearing an emerald jersey 3/4 sleeve top I bought from Dorothy Perkins for £22 - green is a great colour for all red heads, and even though I gravitate to a monochrome palette, even I can't ignore colour this season. Always try on a jewel colours before buying the garment - the colour maybe beautiful but if it is not right for your skin tone, you could look washed out.

Sparkle and shine like the jewels you all are!

Doll love xXx

Mulberry Magnificence

Hey guys and dolls!

Whilst I was in London, I just had to buy the Mulberry 40th Anniversary book I've been lusting for, ever since I learnt of its existence about a month ago. So after visiting the spectacular Kensington Palace (see my previous post), Mum and I caught a taxi to Harvey Nichols. We would have walked there but after wondering the length of Kensington Gardens, we realised we were only 1/4 of the way there!

I was a little apprehensive and doubtful about finding the book in Harvey Nichols, as although the shop is like Harrods, Selfridges and Fenwicks in that it had little booths and designer departments inside, I thought that maybe a Mulberry shop might be the only place to buy it. However, all was not in vain!!!

After making googly eyes at Givenchy silk scarves, we composed ourselves, put on a more posh and richer exterior and headed to the sea of autumnal Mulberry bags. I was not disappointed with the service at all; they had the book in stock, already gift wrapped, and then they asked me if I would like the full gift works - I received a green bird, lush card copies of their A/W collection campaigns, a look book of their best pieces, and of course a wonderful Mulberry card and rope carry bag. ALL of which only cost me £50! A bargain XD

A nicely wrapped book in old school brown parcel paper, complete with ribbons and a complimentary bird! With each layer I unwrapped, I was greeted with stickers, tissue paper, and pink notes preparing me for the 'wizard' book I was about to uncover. I felt like I was a child again playing pass-the-parcel!

So much care and attention to detail was considered in not only crafting the book but also in its presentation and marketing scheme. I began to fall more head over heels in love with Mulberry, because it felt like I was sharing in their 40th birthday celebration, like I was a part of the brand. 

After three magical layers of paper, I was finally face to face with one of my most covetable books since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Books mean a great deal to me, they almost define who I am as a person, they inspire me. I'm a huge book worm and proud of it!!! When I was child, I once counted how many books I owned in my bookshelves .... lets just say 500+ were occupying my Library bedroom. 

The gorgeous Mulberry adverts that they treated me with! No more cut outs from Vogue for me!

I had such a great time in London and buying this book really put the icing on the wheat and dairy free cake! The book is one of the heaviest I've ever bought, and also one of the most beautiful; page upon page of glossy coloured photos depicting Mulberry's history, campaigns, photo shoots, models, and brand development. I just hope that one day I will be honored by working there!

For more info on Mulberry and my undying love for them, see my review post on their Autumn/Winter collection 2011 here:

Foxy Moments with Mulberry

I'll leave you all with a quote: "People who hate to read scare me; good books have kept me alive..."

Doll love xXx

London, darling

Helloo my guys and dolls!

I cannot believe I haven't posted in so long... I'm such a bad blogger :(
Alot of you know that I've been ill recently, well it got worse after my last post, hence my absence from the blogging community. I'm still really ill, (my medical condition, Fibromyalgia, is going through a rough patch), but I'm taking each day as it comes, and hopefully I will be updating my blog more regularly than I have been these past few weeks.

I hope you all can forgive me!

Last Wednesday, when I was feeling a lot better, my Mum took me up to London to an art exhibition. Although London was in riot lock down, Kensington was so beautiful that I completely forgot about the horrors that had been plaguing all our t.v screens. 

We went to Kensington Palace to see their exhibition "The Enchanted Palace".

The palace was transformed into an installation art exhibition filled with fashion, method actors, paintings, atmospheric music and sounds, magnificent light shows, and poetic stories documenting the lives of the seven princesses that lived within the palace walls.
My mother and I were I absolute awe!

We could take photos, thank god, but without flash which is understandable - however it was so dark due to the whole look and mysterious feel of the exhibition, that I was delighted that my camera captured such great images. All hail my DSLR!

Each room had individual names and themes corresponding to each princesses personality and history; I have labelled each picture with their 'room' titles.

The Room of Royal Sorrows.

Kensington Palace was like falling through a wardrobe into Narnia, taking the Matrix red pill, tumbling with Alice down the rabbit hole, joining David Bowie in Labyrinth, and turning a key in the door of the Secret Garden, all combined into one spellbinding exhibition. I literally caught my breath. It felt like I was in heaven, like I had stepped into my own mind... and I'd only entered the first room!

The Room of Palace Time.

The above mannequin sculpture was made by designer Boudicca; there were four art pieces in total, all of which were hanging from glorious chandeliers. Absolute hell to take a picture of due to their continuous spinning mixed with my cameras slow shutter speed. The mannequins were all dressed in scrap metal, clockwork gears, and general metallic rubbish fashioned into jewelry and futuristic garments.

The Room of Dancing Princesses.
"They danced into the dark, into the wild,
into the dark wild wood.
Each in their own way escaping."

The above blue image was my favorite picture I took and the most mesmerizing room that focused on Princesses Diana and Margaret. 

The Room of Royal Secrets.

The Room of Lost Childhood.

I saw this strange Pan's Labyrinth style child hiding in lit greenhouse. Very bizarre and terrifying... no wonder the children lost their childhood! This room symbolized the royal children that were often separated from their parents, they were seen but not heard. They were precious but not always loved, brought out on display in fabulous lace dresses and darling bonnets.  

Did you find the seven Princesses?

I actually found eight princesses... one was staring at me in the mirror!!! Trust me, I'm not being vain, the name Sarah means 'princess'!

Such a tiring day, which I later paid for as I spent the next two days in bed :( , but well worth it.

Hope you all enjoyed this post, and I'm sorry for being away for so long :( 

I have missed you all!

Doll love xXx

Illustrations of a Goddess

Hello my beauties,

As promised, I am posting some of the lovely content that you will find in the amazing fashion lifestyle book "The Goddess Guide". Each page is like an exquisite scrap book, full of notes, doodles, advice, shopping finds, lavish illustrations, and bits and bobs from the travel of author Gisele Scanlon.

 There six Goddesses in total that cater to every fashionista, with individualistic fashion finds and style tips, truly making the book speak to the reader directly. The goddesses; Home, Office, Sex, Luxurious, Earth, and Urban. Personally, I think I am an Earth or Urban Goddess. These illustrative characters also continue in The Goddess Guide volume two 'The Goddess Experience'. 

Pink pages present tips and stories of how to achieve a perfect quick makeup technique. "Make-up in Minutes" also promotes a makeup range called Pout, whose flagship store is in Covent Garden, London. Gisele also gives her personal choices of Pout products, including which ones would be in her quick makeup kit, as well a story of a Pout makeup expert applying the products to Gisele whilst in a taxi.  

Above is a page about Gisele's first impressions of Paris, as well as her recommendations on how to pack, prepare, and where to go whilst in the City of Love.

Now for my sneaky part of when I was in York. 

I was in Paperchase shopping for a bright shopper that would carry my A3 sketch books, which we work in at University, when I came across beautiful illustrations on some notebooks. Obviously no one is allowed to take pictures of products in a shop, BUT, since my camera was round my neck, I took a few cheeky shots! I would only do it in the name of fashion!

Illustration and collage inspires my own work and I would hate to forget how to do an interesting technique. Fashion is such a competitive industry, so anything to make you stand out when your going for job interviews and internships is a bonus! I love to draw and I am a perfectionist, so I want to get my illustrative skills to the best of their ability. And to do this, I collect images and tear-outs of illustrations that catch my eye, to inspire and remind me of techniques to try. 

The above notebook is from Paperchase's Wonderland Collection, which includes notebooks, pencils, files, iphone case covers, stickers, laptop covers, and numerous other kitsch items. I do love Paperchase! The shop layout is so fresh and modern that it makes their products stand out instantly. I am amazed at some of the things I find in that shop - slightly expensive, maybe, but fashionable and of good quality, hell yes.

Another cute ring-bound notebook from Paperchase with three gorgeous inked illustrations. 

What is your favorite media to draw and illustrate with?

Do you have a favorite illustrator?

Doll love xXx