"You can learn a lot of things from the flowers..."

Spring has sprung! If not in England where it is cold and wet, then it certainly has on the catwalk; Spring/Summer is mainly dominated by powder pastels and soft neuterals, but if you don't want to be a wall flower, then take inspiration from Alexis Mabille's couture collection (above montage).

Colour blocking to the extreme, this couture collection gives striking feminine hues to a woman's office wear. However, if this look is too strong for you, try working floral headpieces and alice bands - channel your in Alice when she falls down into Wonderland and sings with the flowers. More innocent Disney flora than the sinister Tim Burton interpretation. 

Layering and mixing colours is key to making this trend into a micro trend for your hair; you can create your own individual look by buying false flowers from your local market, doing a cut and stick project with an old alice band. 

Go wild like garden flowers and express your inner artist!

Doll love xXx

p.s. If you want to see more of Alexis Mabille's millinery creations, check out my post The Nature of Fashion.

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

Foxy moments with Mulberry

Hello my lovelies! 

I can't believe it's been over a week since my last post :( I've mentioned in previous posts that I've been ill recently, and I guess I haven't fully recovered - it has been hard for me to concentrate or think about anything rather than sleeping. But I am getting better and I am determined to get back into my blogging, and what better way to do that than present you with another Mulberry post!!

Mulberry's Fall collection has landed; birds, British wildlife, and autumnal colours dominated the runway. Inspired by the quirky stop-motion film adaptation of Roald Dahl's "Fantastic Mr. Fox", the British label had fun by experimenting with the length and fit of quintessential outerwear coats and gave sophistication and flare to a seasonal staple. Styling each outfit with their iconic bags reminds us that Mulberry started off as a handbag company, and I love that they stick to their roots. They are also rocking the sock and heel combination trend, an aspect of styling that has been carried over to their Resort 2012 collection.

Another reason I love Mulberry is because of their eye catching campaigns and the story telling behind each collection. Along with their lookbook and catwalk show, Mulberry also produced a short film to promote their A/W 2011 collection. The film consists of Tim Walker's photography and interesting organic stop-motion backdrops, along with scale defying British wildlife, that leave the viewer feeling like they've fallen down a rabbit hole into an autumn Wonderland.

The video is so charming and really captures the Mulberry concept. The little snippet of Mike Snow's song "Animal" that plays during the film is such an interesting song choice that makes me think of Mulberry every time I hear it. The song is also used for their catwalk track - I like that Mulberry have shared an element of their catwalk production with us fashionistas who aren't part of the exclusive fashion world that gets to watch their runway show. An addition of birds chirping and animal rustlings to the original song maintains the illusion of a fantasy autumn land that Mulberry has created. 

I can't wait for autumn now! I love kicking the crispy fallen leaves that seem to suddenly mask the roads and pavements. 

The other night I heard a tawny old hooting in a nearby forest, so I decided to hoot back and I had a five minute hooting conversation with it! Wildlife can be so magical, an aspect that Mulberry captures entirely. Also, yesterday I was at my boyfriends Grandma's house and saw her cat digging and eating something in a nearby field - a cat digging? I had never seen the like. So I rushed through the field grass and discovered the cat eating baby harvest mice!!! I managed to save two out of seven!

These animal encounters made me realise that autumn is upon us! I have always loved animals, especially British wildlife; I think that's why I identify with Mulberry as a lifestyle brand. Below are three of their campaign posters that I simply adore!

The last poster is my favorite - the mixture of auburn reds is reminiscent of tree leaf colour evolution that occurs in early October. Autumn and Winter can be quite boring when it comes to clothes, especially up North where it's so cold that I end up just not caring and throwing on any old jumper. My shopping goal is to buy a Burberry style brown trench coat - but style it like Mulberry!

The colour palette for this collection is simply divine, and not the usual drab dull colours that can dominate the catwalk. Mulberry have been creative and really studied their inspiration for colour, something that some designers tend to neglect. I love the colour names as well: birds nest, deer brown, conker, pumpkin, mole grey, foxglove pink, oak, bright cabbage and waders green - they set my creative writing mind running.

Above are my four favorite looks from the Mulberry A/W Ready-to-Wear 2011 collection. Chosen because of colour, styling, print, and garment combinations, I feel these images best portray the Britishness that is at the heart of the Mulberry brand.

Hope you loved this post!

What's your favorite season and why?

Doll love xXx

" hold me, wrap me up, unfold me.......... "

Hey guys and dolls!

Recently I have been trying to upgrade my wardrobe by purchasing accessories that will enhance my look. Like every fashionista, I have way to many clothes than I realise and continuously buy without considering what is actually hidden away in my draws - the bane of being a fashion student haha!

As I have quite a large amount of jewelry, I have been focusing on buying accessories that have print and colour to spice up my monochrome clothing persona. Thus, the invention of silk scarves have caught my eye! Obviously not real silk because this Doll is unfortunately a typically poor student. But I have found some awesome buys and inspirations that I want to share with you all.

image copyright to Me
design and concept copyright to Helen Fiona 

The above headscarf display is an image I took at the Northumbria University 'Reveal' Exhibition 2011. This designer is a final year Fashion Marketing student, Helen Fiona, and has produced an A/W2012 collection for her new brand "Motifs of Joy", which makes bespoke hats and beautiful hand made silk scarves. Her headwear pieces ooze old Hollywood glamour, and I defy anyone who would not find her collection just breathtaking. I was struck instantly by the variety of gorgeous prints and delicate colours; her collection truly inspires me to focus more on the print side of my degree, as I love to illustrate and am a bit of a whiz on the computer side of fashion. 

copyright as before

The prints, as you can see, range from geometric shapes to etherial illustrations and are inspired by the Surrealist art movement.

Simply stunning! Be sure to visit her website http://www.motifsofjoy.co.uk to view her divine luxury hats and accessories. 

On to this Doll's fashion finds!
So far I have three accessory scarfs and I plan to buy two more from ASOS in the coming weeks - where else?!? Below are three picks of my scarfs :) The first scarf is deep navy blue with a white base, and brown/gold chain and rope prints, which is reminiscent of Ascot and equine like in design.

My rich brown scarf is vintage and was my first ever scarf buy! It has a beautiful burnt orange print of decaying roses and leaves. I call it my "Beauty and the Beast" scarf, due to the rose print connection to the rose the Beast keeps, as well as the brown hues mirroring Belle's hair.

The last scarf is made of a chiffon like polyester fabric and is in a jungle print. I don't usually buy jungle inspired prints because I'm not a fan of the way animal prints can look trashy and cheap, however this Giraffe print spoke to me. I think the addition of the fringing that runs along the longest outer seam, really makes this scarf stand out and more fashion forward than other animal print accessories. 

Blue scarf: £4 from Internacionale

Brown scarf: Vintage from London Camden Market

Giraffe fringe scarf: Lipsy sale £7ish

Below are my fashion inspirations for scarf accessory wear and styling. These two images are taken from  designer Cynthia Rowley and her Resort 2012 collection. I love the simplicity of the styling of the right image; the scarf adds tone to the shorts by harmonizing the two blue hues, whilst picking up the creamy tones of the underneath shirt with the scarfs subtle white print. 

In terms of styling a scarf, as much as I would love to wear headscarfs like the spectacular ones Helen Fiona has made, my head and hair just isn't made to wear anything! Every hair band or clip or hat I try to wear just falls off or makes me look like a five year old. So here is a *Doll tip* if you have an annoying head like me - take inspiration from Cynthia Rowley and tie your scarf into a slack pussy bow e.g. left image. This will add texture and shape to a basic tee or dress, and it can also work well for jazzing up office-wear if the scarf is placed underneath the collar of a crisp white shirt.  

 And finally, I leave you with these phenomenal scarfs by Coco, who is a French designer and graphic artist. The intricacy in design and print, inspired by Alice in Wonderland, leaves me jealous, amazed, and wanting more scarfs!!!

I hope you've enjoyed this post!

What do you think of scarfs? 
Would you wear them as an accessory?

Doll love xXx

p.s. the title of this blog is a song by Sia 'Breathe Me', check it out.

~ The ASOS diaries ~ (6)

*Resort to the Maxi!*

Hey guys and Dolls

Sorry this edition of the ASOS diaries is late, has been a bit hectic this week with being ill, and then I was working at our University open day so I have been well and truly knackered! I have been catching up on my sleep.

But this doll is bak with a vengeance and more new posts

This weekend I visited Edinburgh with my boyfriend; we had gorgeous weather and I got sunburnt! I thought it was  perfect opportunity to break out my new maxi skirt. I have been searching for a while to find a cheap simple black bodycon maxi skirt but alas, every high street store turned up blank :( Bored one day I was trawling through the ASOS sale and I came across the below maxi skirt!!! YAY! 

Maxi skirt: ASOS
Silk scarf: Peacocks
Vest: H&M
Shoes: old New Look

This ASOS maxi skirt fits like a glove, note the jersey bodycon material, and it also has a small slit up the back to give movement and freedom for your legs. It was very cheap, around £15, which I thought was pretty reasonable. I would like another maxi skirt that would allow more movement with a nice breezy thin material and not my in my favorite black colour, but again I haven't found any skirts that fit the bill. 

This skirt from Motel might just be what I have been searching for! Its lustrous deep wine colour caught my eye instantly, and with gorgeous dramatic pleats this skirt is right on trend. It's in sale at £19! So go check it out at Motel Rocks - I'm waiting for money to fill my bank so I can rock this maxi skirt!!!

Here is some inspiration for styling your maxi skirt straight off the catwalk from designer Alice & Olivia's Resort collection 2012. I adore the monochrome look, but I also like how they have styled their statement maxi skirts with a vibrant block colour simple t-shirt, leaving accessories to texturize this smooth and flowing ensemble. I also loving their maxi dresses; the skinny belt helps to sinch in your waist giving form and figure where appropriate.    

Watch out for more posts about my Edinburgh adventures coming soon!

Are you rocking the maxi trend?

How would you style your look?

Doll love xXx

Lunaris

Hey guys and dolls!

Today I though I'd share some music with you :)
I was aimlessly clicking videos on Youtube and I came across this new American singer/rapper called Colette Carr; I was curious by her outfit so I thought I would give her music a listen...

I fell in love with her song "(We do it) Primo" - it has such a fresh sound that it is definitely going to be on my summer playlist. It's the sort of song that you want to hear blasting from your speakers while you relax on a lounger with your feet cooling in a paddling soaking up the rays. It also reminds me of sipping cocktails with your girlfriends; Colette Carr is refreshing.

I also love the underneath rift from Keane's song "Somewhere only we know": check out Colette's other single "Back it up"that shows her true rap style. Her debut album "Skitszo" is being released sometime in 2011.

Now, onto her fashion sense.
I adore Colette's mixture of festival girl, bohemian chic and ghetto style. Her style is truly her own, very individualistic and fun filled. She isn't conforming to the typical look of the over sexualized videos that are around at the moment; she is very now and real - Colette reminds me of the kind of girl you would see at Glastonbury festival. Incidentally, she was discovered at a Game concert where she was freestyling on stage. 

Colette's outfits are all about over accessorizing and also having the confidence to mix styles, prints and textures. It is this random eclecticism that reminds me of one of my favorite Harry Potter characters Luna Lovegood.

I fell in love with Luna from the books, but I think actress Evanna Lynch portrays her perfectly in the movie adaptions. Here's a "behind the scene's" costume design secret: many of the beaded earrings and necklaces Luna wears in the films, were made by Evanna Lynch herself! You can see her radish earrings in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

Because I love Luna Lovegood's style and Colette Carr's look so much, I thought I would attempt to make a styling page, like the ones you would see in magazines, that infuses both their styles, as the two girls have a very similar look.

One of our modules at University this year was to create a magazine in groups, and as I didn't get to do a styling page, this post seemed like perfect time to do one! I made the below image using Photoshop.

Hope you like it :)

What is your favorite song you will be listening to this summer?

Do you like Colette's music?

Doll love xXx

The Biscuit Factory: Yummy fashion!!!

Today I went to explore the Biscuit Factory, which is known as the UK's largest commercial art gallery located in Newcastle upon Tyne. It consists of two exhibition floors and two artists' studios; the gallery exhibits a wide range of artistic media such as paintings, prints, photography, sculpture, glass and film.

The gallery was very spacious and beautifully laid out and I found some lovely little gems that I though I'd share with you all.

The first find I came across (gem *1*), were these delightful brooches made by textile artist Amanda Fatherazi, who was called by Liberty in 2009 as "Best of British" designer. Her brooches are handmade from felt, vintage fabrics and beads; such attention to detail and exquisite embellishment skills! I find these brooches fascinating, each piece evokes beauty and glamour that remind me of old Hollywood movies like Casablanca (1942), and actresses such as Audrey Hepburn and Mae West. 

Which was why I was happy to read that Amanda Fatherazi's influences for her designs come from her love of film noir thrillers and Golden age Hollywood glamour. This Doll is on the same wave length!!!

Above Left: Saucy Blonde Brooch
Above Right: Chelsea Girl Polly brooch (Fair)

Saucy Auburn Brooch

This is my favorite brooch of them all! *Doll pick* because it depicts this ginger doll as a glamourous stage starlet!

*****

Gem number *2*, made me think instantly of this seasons Fruit print trend; graduate Rosita Bonita, also known as Rowenna Harrison, has created these hand crafted leather necklaces that celebrate tropical carnivals and cabaret. The pieces start off as intricate illustrations that tie in directly with the fruit and floral trend, as seen on the runway with designer Stella McCartney in his S/S 2011 RTW collection.

I do love the fruit trend but I don't think I'll be wearing any of these prints this summer - I'm more of a floral girl, not paisley floral prints but graphic distressed decaying prints, or black based flowers with bold inserts. Which is why I my favorite pieces of her collection were these two floral necklaces teamed with humming birds, shown below. White and black flowers can't go wrong with me! I love that you can still tell that these necklaces come from illustrations there's something organic about them. 

You can find out more about this artist at her website: http://rositabonita.com

*****

Lastly, gem number *3*, comes from jewelry label Haberdash House and was established by Marie Liddell in 2007, and is based in Edinburgh. This label is all about fun, frivolity and joy, by using bright energetic colours, like in this collection "Roll Up...Roll Up..." which is based on circus life. The jewelry is made from laser cut perspex and plywood, whilst the brooches are hand embroidered to give a strong tactile contrast to the clean laser-cutting technique.   

I am so in love with this jewelry collection it's not even funny! The animal charms are so kitsch that it reminds me of old school American scene kid jewelry, but with more of fun fashionista edge. I recently did a project on Carousel Horses so I adore the above necklace, especially as the bright colours are combined with black to make the pop even more! Also, if you haven't already guessed, I love the colour black!

There is alot of animal jewelry out at the moment so this collection is bang on trend! It is also reminiscent of the recent film "Water for Elephants" which I highly recommend - see my review at the below link:

 Doll "Water for Elephants" review

All in all I've had an awesome day! And I hope you all have too :)

Which is your favorite artist/jewelry piece from this post? And why?

Doll love xXx

p.s. all photos are taken and copyright to me