Daisybutter

Dream Team Dining: Patty & Bun

2013-05-17T13:30:00.000+01:00

Patty & Bun - 54 James Street, London, W1U 1HE.

Here's some fun trivia for you today: what happens when you combine a blogger birthday - bonne anniversaire Aisling!, eight hungry bloggers and a hyped-up burger bar? Judging from the photos attached, burger carnage is the frank answer.

As Sarah wrote about in her blog post last week, a group of us descended to the newest It place in town for a birthday celebration of the burger variety. Patty & Bun. It is a truth universally acknowledged that when Hannah is even remotely involved in any form of dinner planning, a burger or eight will be dished up.

Patty & Bun markets itself as a niche restaurant, seating only 32 covers at a time with a no reservations policy, and with room for burgers and a beat. The atmosphere was lively and bustling, full of trendy looking 'uns, as well as a Hiro Nakamura lookalike, and service was friendly and efficient - Aisling even got a birthday serenade!

The burgers themselves were a m a z i n g; so tasty, if not a little messy, with the best/unique garnishes and toppings. I ordered the Lambshank Redemption, a lamb patty with coriander and chilli, aubergines, lettuce and Feta cheese on brioche. Totes recommended, but take a hand sanitiser in your handbag. We also ordered chips and BBQ wings for the table - the wings are highly recommended by us all!

All in all, another well-timed Dream Team dine and an evening full of laughs. Next time you have time to queue and get hyped up about a burger, be sure to pay Patty & Bun a visit. x

One year ago

2013-05-16T14:40:00.004+01:00

Impromptu mobile post today because I literally don't have the time to shoot some outdoorsy outfit photos at the moment. It's always good to mix things up though right? I've had half a day off from work today, pottering around sorting things out and still not managing to eat breakfast. *slap on wrist*

Shirt, Zara; Marble print trousers, c/o French Connection.

Today I'm wearing this print clash look, switching things right up again. Opting for my Zara watercolour dot print shirt again, I threw it on with my marble print cropped trousers because, y'know, the sun's out and one can only embrace tentative amounts of sun with a bare... ankle. Wild. I really do like this print pairing though, even my Mum and sister weren't too iffy with it for once! (I'll keep you updated on Dad's remarks - he usually assumes I haven't even changed from my pyjamas. I'll have you know my battered old tee is reserved only for sleeping, Papa Daisy!)

My hair is courtesy of the Cloud Nine Waving Wand (full post and poss demo video comin' soon!). No burnt fingertips and soft, big waves? I am impressed.

Tonight I'm probably going to get in from work, put my real pyjamas on and sift through my blog related emails. I've been seriously slacking on that front recently and I also want to catch up on reading blogs and leaving proper comments again. I went to some press days last night so I'll be editing some coverage from those and getting them up asap too. I've also had a few brainwaves for posts and series so it might be time to crack my notebook out and sort DB out! (: Have a nice Thursday all! x

Post title: 현승, 정은지 & 김남주 Cube Voice Project ii. - 'One Year Ago (일년전에)'

My SS13 Shoe Rotation

2013-05-15T13:00:00.000+01:00

Hi, my name's Michelle and I have a ~~handbag~~ ~~clothes~~ ~~shoes~~ shopping problem.

At the weekend, I took it upon myself to tidy my bedroom, sift through my wardrobe and rotate my shoe collection to welcome the spring. I've always tarred myself with the handbag brush, by way of shoes vs. handbags arguments, but apparently this year I've accidentally expanded my shoe collection and, y'know what, I kinda like it. Here's a little round-up of some of the more interesting pieces that have made it into the springtime bunch…

Converse Chuck Taylors
This spring I've completely fallen back in love with my white Converse. They're amazing for dress down Fridays - although every day is dress down Friday at work - and I wear them with everything from little floaty dresses (my speciality, right?) to jeans and a T-shirt. I'm remaining them with little checkered shift dresses, a collar necklace and my Warehouse jacket for the coming weeks.

See them in an outfit post here. Shop here.

even&odd wedges
The most painful shoes in my possession and, at the same time, the lowest 'heels' that I own. Another pair that were sent to me for LFW purposes, I am obsessed with the cobalt blue hue and contrast wedge, and save these mostly for office-to-bar looks. (I can't believe I just used that term on my blog!) They look amazing with monochrome looks or with printed numbers.

See them in an outfit post here. Shop here.

Zara TRF wedge
My TRF wedge heels are the newest addition to my footwear family. At a bargainous £29.99, I know I've already converted my colleagues and the sometimes lovely Sarah to snapping them up too, but I absolutely love them. The coral orange is perfect for adding a splash of colour to my otherwise colour-free wardrobe, and I'm excited to whip them on for a few summer weddings, occasions and other such events this summer.

See them in an outfit post here. Shop here.

YesWalker Wedge ankle boots
These taupe wedge boots remain firmly in my shoe stocks for the spring. Whilst I got a lot of wear out of these over our extended winter, they're still nice for pairing with a lace trim ankle sock and little drop waist dress.

See them in an outfit post here. Shop here.

Miss Selfridge Attitude studded flat ankle boots
I dithered over buying these for the longest time, but I'm glad I did. They're still quite stiff but I'm excited about pairing them with a daisy print shift dress, ankle socks and braided hair. Yeah, I went there. Currently though, I'm enjoying attempting to wear the spike stud numbers with tights and having to spend the rest of my day hiding ladders and rips. Woe is me indeed…

See them in an outfit post here. Shop here.

Hong Kong boutique Kitty face flatforms
After months of professing that I hated flatforms, mostly because I couldn't walk in them - fashion n00b, I've fallen and fallen hard (not literally). These suedette flatforms have the cutest kitty face on, inspired by none other than one of my favourite designers, Charlotte Olympia. They're super easy to walk in, look great with skirts and jeans alike, and are going to be perfect for relaxed evenings in pub gardens this summer.

See them in an outfit post here.

Linzi Shoes Odessa Chelsea boots
I was sent these boots last year in the winter and frankly was terrified of the stack heel on them. With no platform, I didn't want to be uncomfortable when I already had the cold to contend with, but fear not, everything was fine. They have a lovely gunmetal hue stud on the ankle, as well as a tassel on the side, perfect for adding a tough look to your outfit without even trying.

See them in an outfit post here. Shop here.

ASOS Aggie boots
These are my favourite boots of all time. Dubbed as an Isabel Marant 'Dicker' dupe about two and a half years ago, I saved up every penny from my part-time waitress job, skimped on seeing my friends (that always involved going out and spending copious amounts of money!) and held my breath as I splurged £40 on them. I wear these at least twice a week nowadays: the heel isn't too high but gives you some extra height and that nice feeling of having a 'done' outfit.

See them in an outfit post here.

Topshop Mex smoking slippers
I'm on the verge of throwing these out and replacing them with another pair of suedette smoking slippers but for the sake of real representation or something like that, threw them into the post anyway. My everyday shoe is quite simply a smoking slipper. I adore the casual look of them and the hint of 1940's style that they give, and they're perfect for wearing with nearly any of my everyday outfits. Also good for running for my train multiple mornings a week.

See them in an outfit post here.

On that little town street

2013-05-13T12:45:00.001+01:00

Befriending kitties, posing in a leaf-strewn pathway and the most beautiful high street shoes that I've ever laid my eyes on are all on the menu this week. Once again -- I'm so glad I have complete reign over my 'office' attire, because lemme tell ya, a top floor loft convert-esque office and this beautiful weather simply do not mix.

Leather sleeve jersey dress, c/o She Likes; TRF Wedge in coral, Zara; Stud belt, A boutique in Hong Kong; Necklace, H&M; Nails, Barry M Gelly Nail Paint in Blueberry.

I've never been one for the leather (or indeed leatherette) but when She Likes offered me a piece of clothing to blog about, I had a nosey on the site and this marl jersey number really needed to be in my wardrobe. I've been eyeing up a couple of these jersey T-shirt dresses from Topshop but kinda begrudged paying so much for a plain dress… In steps this leather cap sleeved number. It's ultra comfy but the sleeves toughen it up just enough. I added this studded leather belt to help break the grey up, but other than that, I seriously adore it - perfect for dress down days as well as for actually-leaving-the-house.

I'm still completely head over heels for my TRF wedge heels from Zara. They're super comfy and surprisingly okay to traipse around in, even by my clumsy standards. They add just the right amount of colour to a look without being too in your face, y'know? I also threw on my H&M statement necklace for a no-fuss accessory.

Gosh I can hardly believe we're halfway through May already! Can you believe it was exactly one year ago that I handed in a beast of a dissertation and finished my degree?! ♥

Post title: Taylor Swift - 'All Too Well'

Tea time with LoveTea

2013-05-12T10:30:00.000+01:00

LoveTea; an online tea sampling service.

A week or so ago, I discovered a brand named LoveTea in my inbox. A unique, relatively new company, LoveTea introduces internationally grown teas from around the world to tea enthusiasts. To sign up for a free sample, you can head to their website here - super easy to navigate, especially if you're tea hungry. My tea sample arrived within a few days, in a foil sachet with little DIY teabags and a set of instructions and notes about your new tea.

The Himalayan Imperial Black tea has long straight leaves with tippy golden streaks. The aroma is earthy and once infused red fruit acidity is released which is counter balanced by a rich cocoa like after taste.

I thoroughly enjoyed making my own tea bag, infusing and straining the tea and reclining over the Bank Holiday weekend with a fresh cuppa. It tasted much richer and 'fuller' than my standard Earl Grey or breakfast tea, and I'm definitely going to be bookmarking LoveTea for future use. Tea runs and the marketing desk at work go together like no other! ♥

This and that, and then some

2013-05-11T10:00:00.000+01:00

Vogue Festival 2013 T-shirt.

It's the weekend and I plan to do a lot of hanging around and lounging about in this top. Snapped it up for a slightly extravagant £20 at Vogue Festival, but I couldn't get my hands on the oh so coveted grey sweatshirt so settled for it despite everything. (That can probably be filed under First World Problems, right?) You can read my coverage of Vogue Festival here and here.

Had a bit of an up and down week this week. I've been working on an amazing campaign at work this past fortnight which has led to a stressed Mish who often gets complacent, a little selfish and dramatic. The Dream Team* always has a hard time believing that I can be like 'that', but I think I have been, so I've been keeping to myself aside from churning out some new outfits that are so unlike me yet very me at the same time. I don't even know.

I'm a tad aware of how some people have apparently portrayed me this week. Not gonna dwell on it because frankly my real life comes first right now, and that is a bit of a shambles too. Oh WELL. Popped out for a catch-up and a few drinks with my best friend and our other best friend last night and I'm feeling a bit better about Internet drama, which shouldn't even be drama. I also have a list of life admin to get through today and my fingers are due to be crossed for the majority of the weekend while I attempt to get back on track. Mysterious but maybe I'll divulge next more when it all blows over… Be around soon, maybs. ♥

* Dream Team: - a selection of bloggers who are obsessed with burgers, Selfridges and are partial to seven-hour long discussions about handbags, namely Sarah, Aisling, Elodie, Sarah, Sophie, Hannah, Lily and Tanya.

Disillusion all my dreams

2013-05-09T11:30:00.000+01:00

Tribal print cropped top, Topshop via ShopStyle; The Legging jeans, c/o AG Adriano Goldschmied; Coral orange wedges, Zara; Nails, Barry M Gelly Nail Paint in Blueberry.

Well. I never thought I'd see the day that I'd debut a cropped top on the blog, let alone in a non-black outfit. Leaves have been turned pals, and my wardrobe is feeling suitably good about the spring. I'm fairly conscious of my figure overall, and tend to opt for loose fit tops and simply streamline things on the bottom, so this tribal print cropped top by Topshop winged its' way to me when I was invited to have a shop and review of ShopStyle. You can read more about my ShopStyle experience here. I don't know if I can really put into words how much I l-o-v-e this top. The fit is just slouchy enough, and not too cropped, so I don't feel too exposed in the elements. With a pretty sweet cut-out back, I'm envisioning it paired with a simple skirt and sandals for ye old summer. (I'm patiently waiting for ya.)

Having banged on about my newfound appreciation for new cuts, lengths, colour and other descriptions more akin to a hair salon trip, I've gone back to the (very) expected with the reintroduction of my Adriano Goldschmied jeans. Oh AG Jeans, how I wish I could live in your The Legging jeans forever more. Finally, I finished the ensemble with my new babies - meet my coral orange TRF wedges from Zara. I'm going to throw the thought out there that Zara have seriously amped up the wattage by way of shoe selection. Let's forget about the lack of actual shoe department in store for just a moment, these crossover, buttery soft shoe goodness helpings rang in at just under £30 and are set to be the next most overworn item on the blog. You. Are. Welcome.

This week has been fun, demanding, stressful yet ultimately really rewarding for me so far! Despite some sleepless nights and mornings full of emails, conference calls and tea, I've been feeling extremely grateful and lucky for the things I get to do. Currently midway through my first big project/campaign at work and, basically, I'm having a real soppy moment. Excuse me. ♥

Post title: 2YOON ft. Ilhoon - 'Nightmare (악몽)'

Style Me, Style You

2013-05-07T13:00:00.000+01:00

I'm a stickler for routine, my own style and ways of 'doing things'. One part perfectionist, another part determined, but mostly a pretty airy-fairy kinda gal, last weekend I downed tools and teamed up with Westfield London for a little challenge of the styling and shopping variety. My favourite.

With my main blogging gal pal Aisling in for the ride, we picked up our complimentary £150 gift card, that Isa so kindly organised for us, from the concierge desk and hopped over to shop. The Style Me, Style You Challenge aimed to get us thinking about styling a trend on a friend, getting them into a look they wouldn't usually sport. With some Wagamama and Snog as our brain food, we set to work…

Cut-out neon dress, Zara; White lace cropped top, Topshop; Necklace, H&M; MEX smoking slippers, Topshop; Sunglasses, c/o Truffle Shuffle; Nails, butter LONDON 'Fiver'.

Aisling went for the neon trend, something that I prefer to stray away from. By 'stray away from', I evidently mean, 'avoid at all costs', given my mostly blacks wardrobe. ;) On we sauntered, and after a little deliberation with our Westfield London gift card (some of the sales advisors in each store were unsure about its' use), Aisling styled me up in this ensemble, and here's what she has to say on the matter:

I’ve been waiting to get my styling mitts on Miss Daisy Bee for quite some time now, as I’ve always enjoy dressing other people more than myself. Although I do love Michelle’s style, I couldn’t wait to inject a bit of colour in to her wardrobe. If I had endless amounts of money, I would have loved to get her in an all out printed suit like this one from Topshop, but perhaps that would have been trying to turn her into my mini me! That’s why as soon as I spotted the Zara neon dress; I knew it would be perfect. To finish her outfit, I added a Topshop lace crop top (which definitely took some convincing) and bit of candy bling from H&M.

I absolutely adore this Zara dress and can see it looking oh so cute for late summer evenings with a hint of a tan and some plaited sandals. Out of my comfort zone and on trend? Check. Aisling also paired it with a white lace cropped top by Topshop underneath. A cropped top on Daisybutter? Say it isn't so! The contrast in colour and adding a simple neutral makes the look much more me, and perfect for the inkling of spring that we're experiencing. Topped with a stunning statement jewel from H&M, I'm pleasantly surprised by a splash of colour.

Following a successful day of style swapping and trend shopping, we then wrapped up our afternoon with a large, brain freeze worthy frozen yoghurt and swapping of oh-em-gee Made in Chelsea chatter, and headed off to Vogue Festival for some Donatella Versace and squabble-for-a-coffee-cup action.

To see me styling Aisling in skintight monochrome and the summer black, head over to Fash-ling for more Style Me, Style You goodness here. ♥

Disclaimer: The items in this post and challenge were purchased with a Westfield London gift card gifted to us for the Style Me, Style You Challenge. All opinions, thoughts and frozen yoghurts our own. We were not compensated to write these posts.

One minute, one second, everyday

2013-05-06T13:30:00.000+01:00

I've had somewhat of a hankering for shaking up my wardrobe and introducing some more trend led babies to my look recently. I've been feeling a little stuck in a rut, outfit wise, favouring a tried-and-tested blend of shirt, jeans and summer ankle boot, so gone are the black-navy-grey combinations, and here's what happened when ShopStyle got in touch and asked me to sample, shop and review their site…

Printed shirt, Zara; Beaded embellished shorts, Topshop via ShopStyle; Boots, c/o Linzi Shoes; Purse, Marc by Marc Jacobs via ShopStyle.

ShopStyle is an online shopping platform where you can tailor and edit down a huge selection of clothing from multiple brands. It's essentially an all-you-can-shop kinda place, a clothing buffet?! The site is super easy to navigate, filter through and select from, and it'll simply redirect you to your chosen place to shop. I opted for Topshop, mostly because I hadn't had a splurge there, but found the ShopStyle filters were much user-friendlier than their actual site.

For the first time in absolutely forever, I've gone for the Isabel Marant inspired, print clash look and absolutely love it. Not something I'd choose on the whole, but once these insanely perfect shorts landed on my doorstep, something in my head clicked, cogs turned and I threw this shirt on with it. Ethnic chic, or something? I've even sneaked in a snakeskin purse! (Marc by Marc Jacobs, swooon.) The shorts are stupidly short, fyi - I'm about 5"2 and these are a tad too bumcheeky for my liking, so on went the tights and my faithful stack heeled boots.

Anyway, aside from dabbling in the world of prints, life is pretty sweet at the moment. It isn't leaving much room for blogging, but I've been loving going on little dates, seeing my best friend, enjoying a beverage or four with the work girls, and pedalo boating with Cat in Regent's Park. (Yes, really! See my Instagram!) This week needs to be a tad more chilled, so I'm off to the garden for some q u a l i t y time with the new issues of Vogue and Miss Vogue. Lovely. ♥

Post title: Yang Yoseob and Cube Girls (Cube Voice Project) - 'Perfume'

Vogue Festival 2013: Donatella Versace - A Woman of Our Time

2013-05-04T11:00:00.000+01:00

Closing Vogue Festival this year was a talk with Donatella Versace, easily one of the most respected, interesting yet relatively secretive women in the fashion industry. Thrust into the limelight when her brother was tragically murdered, Donatella is truly a woman of our time. I was kindly invited by Voucher Codes - thanks Fleur! - to attend the talk and write up a few of my thoughts - here goes...

An afternoon with Donatella Versace, a woman of our time.

Donatella and her brother, Gianni Versace, were born and raised in South Italy to strict parents. Her signature dramatic and flamboyant style originated as a result of her parents' strict ways: Donatella even recounted when Gianni dressed her in a yellow leatherette mini skirt at the age of fifteen! It quickly became clear that the sibling duo were inseparable - the best of friends. The two carved a creative path for their career, with Donatella noting that their Italian childhood was 'never enough, [we] always wanted more' and that the pair were full of curiosity. 'Gianni always told me to be fearless, provocative and daring.'

Following the death of Gianni, Donatella took up the role of head of design. She went from being a sister, confidante and muse, to being forced to mourn in public, become a fully fledged businesswoman and embodiment of the Versace brand. Throughout the talk, Donatella maintained a quirky cool demeanour, her conversation with Lisa Armstrong peppered with funny quips and oddball personality traits. 'I am still a very shy person, a fearful person… there's a huge pressure on me to be the brand.'

Despite the hardships that Donatella faced, it's obvious and endearing to see the shift in personality. An acceptance of her new role and fame, paired with a silent knowledge of the ways in which she is perceived by the fashion industry. Whilst she doesn't have a clue about the creation of garments, she is well versed on the Versace woman - 'Versace is all about the proportions, tightness and realising that bodies are different. The brand is fearless today, it isn't too provocative'.

Having worked with Christopher Kane and Jonathan Anderson (J.W. Anderson, to you and I) to name but a few, Donatella also harbours close relationships with her fellow designers. She recounts the partnership with Kane as 'very different' to that with her brother Gianni, 'Can I just say something?' she quips. 'Christopher made me do flats. That's all.' To which the room, of course, erupted in half polite and mostly genuine laughter. Seeing Donatella relaxed, for the most part, and responding to some pretty hefty questioning was inspiring to say the least. Donatella had to mourn in public to keep the business afloat, the industry simply doesn't stop. 'You have to fight for your passion: you won't always understand exactly what you want.'

To round off the closing hour of Vogue Festival, it was incredibly rare and endearing to hear Donatella name her proudest moment. 'Right now, having you kids in front of me asking these questions, this is my proudest moment.' What a woman.

Vogue Festival 2013: Fashion and Personality with Sir Paul Smith and Alexa Chung

2013-05-01T11:00:00.000+01:00

Scribbled in my diary this Vogue Festival season was the Fashion and Personality talk with Sir Paul Smith and Alexa Chung. Last season I dithered for so long about the ticket situation that I ended up simply waiting in the wings and enjoying a hasty scroll through Twitter at the coverage, but in short, it's a weekend of fashion-filled musings chopped into hour long chunks in talks from industry natives, and this year, I was invited as a guest of Coast - the evening dresses specialists - who offered me a ticket. Thank you, Coast!

The talks covered a range of topics, from design itself to personality, to sustainability and even some snippets of branding and business. Vogue Festival certainly lends itself to a knowledge feast paired with a generous helping of coveted beauty treatments and merch temptations. Read: a plethora of Vogue experiences, including a faux Vogue cover shoot, Vogue Braid Booth, a cafe and pop-up store to name but a few. (Between you and I, I'm still feelin' too sad about my current lack of grey Vogue sweatshirt. You win some, you lose some.)

Fashion and Personality with Sir Paul Smith and Alexa Chung.

'Fashion and Personality' was inspiring and insightful for me, as a post-grad and junior writer type. Before I delve deeper, it's probably worth noting that everything felt rather student-focused, but I digress… In came Alexa Chung to hotspot Sir Paul Smith, a pretty obvious pairing, if you think about it. Aged 14, Paul Smith began his career in a warehouse, quickly moving on to a shop assistant role in a - with sassy quotation marks - 'boutique'. He was enamoured with everything Andy Warhol, Pop Art and London related, and soon after, met his future wife, all at the age of 21.

Sir Paul Smith focuses on personality, quirks and the love of life in his fashion industry dalliance. From the word go, he prompted 'There's a lot of good, you just have to be better - look and see,' as a starting point for a room packed with young'uns simply dying to get stuck in to the industry. His motivation? 'A love of life and quality. To me, fashion shows are just part of the process, they aren't the highlight anymore but just an ending point. The process is a cocktail of knowledge.'

Throughout the talk, the primary focus was on individuality and having an opinion. With the ongoing shift into digital, it can be all too easy to become reliant on the immediacy of social media, the Internet and the ol' Instagram. Who needs to be in Paris for PFW when you can type an address in and stream a show whilst lying in bed with a cup of Earl Grey? You do. Sir Paul Smith takes his own photographs ('Not on an iPhone, an iPhone can't do this.') and often uses them for both inspiration and campaigns. With no computer, laptop or mobile in sight at the PS household, Sir Paul Smith noted that it was important to keep that balance between the modern world and observation. Man, do I need to get involved with this! Perhaps I should cut down on my morning commute that consists half of being buried in a book and half scrolling through my Instagram feed, and start to be inspired by what's on the other side of the glass, who I'm sitting adjacent to, or where people are headed. Inspiration is everywhere and, coupled with your individuality, experiences and quirks, is just the ticket to Fast Track Fashion.

Key to Sir Paul Smith's slot was the realisation of just how interesting he is. Alexa asked him a random 'So what's it like, being a 'Sir'?', to which he responded: 'It was kind of painful, with the sword and everything. It feels a bit weird and I'm still not sure about it yet, I haven't used my knighthood for anything yet, but my parents would be proud - I think. It's funny because we checked the date of my knighthood and it turned out I'd be knighted at 11am, and married at 4pm the same day.' And yes, even better is the evident adoration for his wife, who peppered much of his conversation with Alexa Chung.

What I mostly took from the Fashion and Personality talk was his infatuation with fashion. He remains truly passionate about inspiration and taking the brand forward. Sir Paul Smith doesn't like criticism and nor does he take it on board, he's already 'onto the next thing by then, so who cares?'. Affirming my admiration for him, Smith even notes that we should all 'respect each other', on getting ahead in the industry. It's all getting a little tattle tale out there, non? 'Nobody cares about you used to be. It's about your energy, personality and life.'

To finish off my little love confession for Sir Paul Smith -- I feel completely inspired to be someone and to persevere. In a fast-paced world and, indeed, industry, you can easily lose sight of who you are and where you're headed. Sir Paul Smith holds a wealth of knowledge, hidden behind a business-like facade and quirky demeanour, and I am wholly jealous. Pass me those striped socks. (FYI, the males in his family regularly receive those bad boys as gifts.) Sir Paul's parting words? 'Do it 100% or not at all, it's a competitive but lovely - I promise - industry.' Bravo pal.

Midnight escapades

2013-04-30T11:30:00.000+01:00

Another whirlwind week gone and an exhausted Michelle in its' place. Time to relaaaax and not do a lot, I think. In fact I'm working on some Vogue Festival coverage for my blog, Aesthetic, Coast and My Voucher Codes to name but a few platforms this week, so excuse my slightly frazzled state and nonsensical musings.

Snow White printed swing vest, c/o Truffle Shuffle; Pink skater skirt, Topshop; Kitty flatforms, A boutique in Hong Kong; Jacket, Warehouse.

So onto the outfit, I guess! I'm a stickler for these simple graphic tops paired with skater skirts, but it's nearly time to move onto pastures anew. This Snow White swing top was kindly gifted to me by Truffle Shuffle and I l-o-v-e it. Long term readers will know of my affinity for loose tops that flare out: so flattering and comfy. I'm excited to try styling it with my suedette circle skirt soon for a really cool 70's flared look, and maybe on top of a midi bodycon dress too. There's a world of opportunities, but today I'm wearing it with my faithful crinkle skater skirt from ye olde Topshop, and my even more faithful Warehouse jacket. I absolutely adore grey, khaki/olive and pink together. Maybe I'll compile a Ways to Wear colour edition soon?

In other news, I'm rewatching Devil Beside You, a Taiwanese drama series, for the fourth time at the moment. It was the very first drama I watched back in 2005 and I remember Sharon and I being completely obsessed with it, so thought I'd tide myself over with it again. I'm such a homebody recently and can't get enough of spending the lighter portion of the evening out for a walk, and returning home to cosy up with a few episodes of something easy on the brain. This week I'm hoping for a chilled out one after a busy, stressful and pretty unenjoyable one last week. Yesterday we went for a lovely long walk to a deserted meadow/field and watched the sunset whilst trying not to get lost, and I think I'm seeing one of my best friends later in the week too, so I'm pretty excited for that. Hope you're all enjoying the fledging beginnings of spring! Let me know what your plans are, you know me and my nosy ways! ♥

PS. You can still enter my giveaway to win an imitation Marc by Marc Jacobs iPhone case over here! (:

L'amour fou

2013-04-25T12:30:00.000+01:00

Cream knit top with black lace, Yesstyle; Crop slim cigarette silver white jeans, c/o 7 For All Mankind; Wedge boots, c/o Yeswalker; Scallop edge tan satchel, c/o Yeswalker; Mirror necklace, A boutique in Hong Kong.

Photographs by Aisling Megan at Fash-ling.com.

Say 'hello' to my beautiful new 7 For All Mankind jeans, Daisybutter. Last week, I hosted an event along with the beautiful Kavita, for the 7FAM Black and White capsule collection launch. I seriously can't believe how lucky I am at times - for the launch, Kavita and I were gifted a pair of jeans from the new collection to 'model' of sorts and act as ambassadors on the night. We also got to DJ a very mini set and were avidly followed by an enthusiastic photographer. There's another one for the CV(!)

I promise that one day I'll go crazy and wear colour again, but for now, I've cracked out this oversized white knitted top from Yesstyle again. Actually, I think it's about time that I hopped on there for my summer wardrobe edit. I'll keep you all posted, of course! I love the white (and little slice of black) against white: it really brings out the ridiculously beautiful and intricate trouser detail. Not sure if you can tell but there are also little diamante accents to the pattern too.

Stay tuned for my post about the launch party - I'm putting thoughts to paper (pixels?) right after I hit 'publish' on this post. Confusing. Much? Gotta scribble as much as I can so I can indulge in back-to-back viewing of my many, many dramas and anime. Oh life.

Thanks again to 7 For All Mankind for the opportunity, and for the super soft jeans! (:

Marc by Marc Jacobs Imitation iPhone 4 Case Giveaway

2013-04-24T11:00:00.000+01:00

Win an imitation Marc by Marc Jacobs iPhone 4 case.

One month ago, I arrived back on home turf, feeling a little lighter in the pockets with a suitcase full to the brim with goodies. Whilst doing some serious shopping damage in Hong Kong, I picked up an imitation Marc by Marc Jacobs iPhone 4 case at the Ladies' Market. I was having a phone case buying splurge at the time anyway, so thought I'd pick one up to give away on here. I loved the Marc by Marc Jacobs cases but of course feel that an imitation does the exact same job!

To enter, I've set up a Rafflecopter widget to make things extra easy. Just follow the details, it should all be pretty straightforward. This giveaway is an international competition and runs until Wednesday 8th May 2013. All you have to do is be a follower of my blog, but you can also gain extra entries in the widget! Good luck! ♥

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beauty Bento Box?

2013-04-23T11:00:00.000+01:00

Yu-Be Moisturising Skin Cream. Available in Boots nationwide.

We've seen the beauty box, food fads have been and gone, and we're in the grips of another pastel thirsty spring. Imagine my face when this little beauty Bento box landed on my doorstep last week - oh hello! The concept of a Bento box originated in Japan - a single-portion home-packed meal, it traditionally holds meat or fish, rice and pickled or cooked vegetables in a 'box' container. More recently and globally popularised is the kyara-ben - the 'character' Bento - where food is arranged in a cute character, animal or anime character.

Yu-Be is a skincare company, focusing on combating against dry skin. Housed in an adorable beauty Bento box, the Moisturising Skin Cream is a hallmark of the Yu-Be aesthetic. The cream is glycerin-based and is light, medicated and vitamin-enriched, one of the longest selling skincare products in Japan. I've sampled this for a week now and am currently avoiding it on the face, finding it a little heavy on my 'normal' skin type. It has quite a minty scent, but I am enjoying using it on my hands to repair bouts of winter chap and also on my elbows to prepare for the incoming spring.

As for the other products in the Yu-Be collection, I'm really interested in trying the Foaming Skin Polish and Lip Therapy. Can't resist some more skincare to add to the trove.

Retrouvailles

2013-04-22T13:00:00.000+01:00

Hello little loves! I can hardly believe we've reached the remaining few days of April already - how has that happened? I trust you are all suitably sunkissed and rested after the beautiful weekend that has just graced us. I spent mine recovering from the final bout of cold, editing Aesthetic magazine and Aesthetic Online, and indulging in a lotta sweet goodness.

Floral smock dress, ASOS; ATTITUDE studded ankle boots, Miss Selfridge; Blazer, River Island; Belt, c/o F+F at Tesco; Blue heart collar detail, c/o Ladybird Likes; Above knuckle ring, The Bohemian Collective; Twist rings, Marc by Marc Jacobs; Nails, Essie 'Nice is Nice'; Sunglasses, c/o Truffle Shuffle.

Retrouvailles (adj.) [French]; - the happiness of meeting again after a long time.

I bought this dress last week after seeing it on Emma's blog. Oh the dangerous world of blog reading…! The smock style is something I adore at the moment: I see it as a step up from the oversized T-shirts that I always wear, but finally the weather(!!) means I can swap out a couple of dresses and skirts. Anyway -- this smock dress is ridiculously oversized, I bought an S and I typically wear a UK size 8, but this honestly drowns me. I'm going to attempt to shrink it in the wash tonight, I think. Ah the joys of no plan Mondays!

I paired it with coral pink-orange belt to add a bit of colour. Not really one to venture into colours, but I'll get on to that in just a minute. The dress doesn't require any accessorising if I'm honest, but sometimes I'll add a skinny belt and knot it at the front, and other times a collar pin detail is perfect. Enter Ladybird Likes…

Ladybird Likes is an online destination for jewellery and accessory magpies - myself included. I feel ever so grateful and honoured to be somewhat of an ambassador for them! This heart collar detail is so simple and cute, matching perfectly with my dress. It'll look amazing against a nude or shell pink as well, or a pastel yellow shirt, should I ever finally find one to add to my wardrobe stocks.

Bit of a busy one this week as we've just moved offices at work and I've got lots of mini projects that I'm working on too. Aesthetic is ticking along nicely, and I'm seriously looking forward to the Pizza Express pizza making pardy with Lily on Wednesday evening! Hope you're all having a swimmingly good Monday, I shall see you tonight for our weekly Made in Chelsea Tweetalong - @winyeemichelle, 'Tweet me'! ;)

Cloud Nine 'Know Your Hair' Event

2013-04-21T11:30:00.000+01:00

Cloud Nine 'Know Your Hair' heat styling blogger event.

For me, a Monday night usually involves me crawling back into bed for a mini pamper and blogroll catch up before indulging in my ultimate guilty pleasure of Made in Chelsea. Last week however, I put my best foot forward, attempted to tame my hair and hopped over to Hampstead to watch a couple of Cloud Nine hair demonstrations at the Trevor Sorbie salon.

When it comes to my hair, I pretty much have two set routines. Wash, rinse, cleanse and condition, run a little oil through the ends and leave straight. Or, wash, rinse, cleanse and condition, and throw a few haphazard curls in there.

My main gripe with heat styling is that I hate the 'too done' look and dislike the ringlet effect too. Enter the Waving Wand, demonstrated on Zara from Mouldy Fruit on the night. With a huge barrel, the Waving Wand is perfect for my longer hair and creates a beautiful soft wave as seen on my Instagram. It boasts three heat settings, although I tend to stick the mid-heat option for safety.

The event itself was a lovely affair: we got to watch the stylists demonstrate six celebrity hairstyles on six bloggers, use the new, online 'Know Your Hair' tool, and scoff Percy Pigs in the back room. Dreamy. A huge thank you to Jen for inviting me along, it was possibly one of the best I've been to. Keep your eyes peeled for some demonstrations of my Waving Wand endeavours... ♥

A guide to mascaras for Asian lashes

2013-04-19T13:00:00.000+01:00

Dressing Asian lashes for everyday wear is easily one of the more challenging parts of my day. (The other being what to eat for lunch: Pret vs. Wasabi is one of the greatest questions of the day.) I realise this is quite a niche subject but stay with me here, I've been dabbling in mascara art for quite some time and here's the lowdown on what works best... for me at least.

Firstly, a quick natter about my lashes. Asian eyelashes are, on the whole, notoriously straight, stubby and short. Whilst a select few of my cousins are lucky enough to have pretty lashes, my sister and I, along with two of my eldest cousins, aren't. Problems encountered with short lashes include that they barely curl, they're barely noticeable and are often not dark enough either. After a long lunch day featuring some beauty gossip with my cousins Natalie and Christy, and an at-home SOS sesh with my sister, here's what we came up with, recommendations wise...

Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus Lash Meister

Touted as one of the best mascaras on the market, I recently snapped this up in a Watson's in Hong Kong. Don't let the downright weird brush put you off, trust me when I say Shiseido's spin-off brand does its job and it does it well.

The formulation is pretty wet at first, meaning a messy application if your lashes are short and straight. Curl the lashes well (my favourite remains the uncontested Shu Uemura ones) and use the flatter side to coat the lashes, and follow up with the rounded side. The result is a winged out, open-eyed look with a curl that holds all day. This is my favourite mascara by far, and I've already 'put in an order' with my cousin for a couple more tubes of this. Before this mascara, I'd never been complimented on my lashes (bar my brief dalliance with lash extensions and perms!), but now I'm a total lash gal.

Benefit They're Real

I first sampled the They're Real mascara at a Benefit blogger event down in Bournemouth when I was still studying in Southampton. I remember the sunnier times, train buddying up with the oh so lovely Corrie, having a sneaky pre-shop and enjoying afternoon tea with the Benefit girls!

Fun times aside, I didn't think anything of They're Real at first, and left it at least two months before giving it a go. Worlds apart from its predecessor, Bad Gal, They're Real is great for holding a curl, but more so at creating length and darkening the lashes for extra definition. In comparison to the Lash Meister, the curl doesn't hold as well, but is great for both everyday use and perhaps for a night out, pre-false lash.

Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes & Star

Before I begin here, I will add a disclaimer than this is my third repurchase of the stuff and yet it lies untouched whilst my love affair for the first two mascaras reigns on. The most luxurious of my mascara choices, Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes is my go-to for a dramatic lash.

The effect that this wand gives is a tad clumpy (not too much though), volumising and lengthening. I do find that this requires more coats than my other mascaras, however, and in recent weeks, I simply favour my other mascaras over this. A curl doesn't hold too well with this choice, but having said that, Doll Eyes is a great 'layering mascara', meaning you could potentially top it up throughout the day if you are that way inclined.

Majolica Majorca Lash Gorgeous Wing

Last but certainly not least is another recent addition to my lash wardrobe. The Majolica Majorca Lash Gorgeous Wing mascara hails as a mascara for a winged out effect - perfect for both my sister and I who are avid cat eye flick girls. Continuing from my story of Asian lashes, my sister had given up with mascara altogether before I whipped out two of these tubes: one for me, one for you...

Lash Gorgeous Wing boasts an equally weird wand. Curl the lashes and pop a few lashings of this formula on and you'll achieve a beautifully volumised and fanned out effect. Again, this really opens up smaller eyes and makes the most of shorter, straighter lashes with - what I assume - is a fibre-based formula. Highly recommended and absolutely worth the 5,994 miles that I flew.

Disclaimer: I bought all of these mascaras with my own money and am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned. Ps. I didn't fly to HK just for the mascara, it was just a happy coincidence that I forced Mama Daisy to go into every beauty shop with me on my birthday holiday. ;)

Fell apart in the usual way

2013-04-18T12:45:00.000+01:00

Navy oversized knit, Yesstyle; Khaki jeans, rag & bone; 'ATTITUDE' studded boots, Miss Selfridge; Skull and spike collar chain, c/o Ever Ours; Above knuckle ring, The Bohemian Collective; Crown ring, Ever Ours; Rope ring, Marc by Marc Jacobs; Longchamp Le Pliage bag; Nails, Essie 'Nice is Nice'.

Sticking to my roots with this ridiculously relaxed look today. Keeping it real, right? I definitely don't trot around in heels all day for fear of breaking an ankle with my track record of walking in public. Today I opted for my shiny new rag & bone jeans, a steal in our work sample sale. I'm utterly in love with them, although they don't quite suit up to my Adriano Goldschmied's just yet. The colour and seam detail is beautiful though, and they also have a lovely zip pocket at the front that I'm sure you'll see in a future outfit post.

This oversized knit is my favourite thing ever. You could easily fit three humans in this jumper! Anyway, threw it on for a baggy vs. skintight look, and pinned my Ever Ours collar detail on it to add a little extra - so versatile, right? Finally, I need to mention my bargain boots... I've been waiting to snap these up since just after Christmas but hated the thought of spending nearly £50 on nude boots that I'm likely to ruin. Well well well, a half price Miss Selfridge sale and my staff discount happened and now these studded babies hardly leave my feet on a chillier day!

Anyway, one and a half more days until the weekend. I'm off to finish my lunch and continue packing the office up - moving day tomorrow! ♥

The Spring Accessory Edit

2013-04-16T14:00:00.000+01:00

Whole Lotta Rosie headband in 'Mint', £20, Crown and Glory;
Camel cat ear bowler hat, £32, Dahlia Fashion;
Round toe ballerina flats, £9.99, Zara;
Basic messenger bag, £19.99, Zara;
Palm Springs sunglasses, £32, Anthropologie.

Time to dust off those sunglasses and loosen your pursestrings, for the spring is well and truly on its' way. Whether you're heading off on a seasonal exotic getaway or will be frequenting local haunts, I've been spending my lunch hours perusing many an online shop for the best of the best spring accessories.

I've been quite enamoured by the Crown & Glory halo headbands for a while now and nearly every blogger in the community has been spotted in one. I think I'd opt for the mint green Rosie to set off my black-brown tresses without being too crazy. In similar headwear, I adore the cat ear bowler hats from Dahlia Fashion and this one may well shimmy on into my wardrobe if I lower my attention for long enough...

I absolutely adore these ballerina flats from Zara: they're the perfect minty green and I think a pre-payday spend might be in order for these bad boys. Oh so pretty when teamed with a shift dress and satchel, right? The messenger bag is something I saw on Jen from Neon Blush and Emma from milkteef a while ago, and I absolutely l-o-v-e it. Under £20? It's in the, er, bag. Finally these Anthropologie sunglasses are a great update from classic black Raybans. I adore.

Oh and before I go, I'll be at the 7 For All Mankind Black and White launch tomorrow night, I'll be Tweeting and Instagramming all evening, with Kavita, Shini and Aisling! (: ♥

Twenty seconds of courage

2013-04-15T11:19:00.000+01:00

Lace and yellow dress (worn as a top), c/o Ever Ours; Skirt, Miss Selfridge; Jacket, Warehouse; Satchel bag, c/o Yeswalker; Kitty flatforms, A boutique in HK.

What is it about a glimmer of sunshine that has the British, myself included, whipping their sun depraved limbs out from the word go? I won't attempt to sugarcoat this story for you here, today's post takes a look at what I wore to shop at Sainsbury's for some Lemsip, a box of Kleenex and some Aero desserts. Nice. While we're almost still on the topic of the weather - how on Earth am I already un-accustomed to warm weather?! Hong Kong was only three weeks ago!

I paired my Ever Ours dress with a simple skater skirt from Miss Selfridge in this particular look. I'm still into my separates in a big way, and I just love the slice of yellow between jersey black and lace white. Feels a little sports luxe, dare I say it, but ultimately, very wearable and 'me'. I threw my battered old Warehouse jacket on top to toughen everything up. I'm still not quite brave enough for leather/pleather, and nor have I found my perfect leather jacket, so there's that. Still in the grips of a full blown love affair with these kitty flatforms. I never thought I'd warm up to the flatform 'thing' that went around, but these are really, seriously cute. Finally, oh yes -- the 90's are back with my temporary tattoos. It started off as a 'I'm going to terrify Dad' thing, but then I added another, and I'm in love. ~~I want them to last forever, I think.~~

This week is set to be a busy one, so illness please stay away... ;_____; Tonight I'm off to a Cloud Nine event which should be fun. I'm finally forcing myself to do more with my hair now that it's super long and in relatively good condition. (Thank you TIGI, I'll never stray from you again.) Shall, obviously, report back with more from the evening in due course. I'm also going to be covering the 7 For All Mankind party on Wednesday night which I'm so excited for! Fingers crossed that my phone copes with life, and I'll be Tweeting and Instagramming throughout the evening. (: Other than that, I plan to welcome the Spring in at long last with light evenings, impromptu dates, bare legs, tan shoes and my infamous legion of little dresses. ♥

Sleepy Sundays

2013-04-14T17:20:00.000+01:00

つなぐ扉ノックすれば
どんな未来が僕らを待っているの?

Oh it's been a while, blog. How did I let this happen, a week with no blogging? To put it quite simply, this week has been a little crazy, kinda good and finished off with a hefty dose of being-ill. I've been busy gearing up for Issue 4 of Aesthetic Magazine, whilst continuing to update the digital version. It's been a little crazy at work, and then we had the Motel Rocks press day and AX Paris party to contend with!

I had the best time on Wednesday night, seeing my favourites for running-into-each-other's-arms hugs, meeting lots of new people including the lovely Kim from Ever Ours, some pretty darn good cocktails, a rockin' photobooth - I couldn't be more proud and pleased for Kim and the other Etail girls for such a perfect debut event. I'm eagerly anticipating the next one already...

I also took my brother and sister to London on Saturday for some shopping and brunch at Bill's. So busy. So cold. So rainy. But today has been so lovely and, relatively, warm?! Of course I took the opportunity to snap some outfit photos on the way to, er, Sainsbury's earlier, when I was stocking up on Lemsip and Aero desserts. I even debuted my temporary tattoos which you can see on my Instagram, but for now, I'm tucked up in my bedroom attempting to salvage some health for the upcoming week... Illness, be gone please! How has your week/weekend been? Hop over below and tell me a sweet Sunday story? ♥

Dessert; 糖水; tong sui (n.)

2013-04-08T13:00:00.000+01:00

Time to get downright foodie in a slightly gratuitous recount post of what I ate after hours in Hong Kong. While chatting with a couple of the gals at work last week, I quickly worked out that the in-thing in Hong Kong, after hours, is not a glass of wine, a chic cocktail or even a sip of cider. Come the twilight minutes, the streets come alive with residents old and young hot footing it to their favourite dessert parlours. Let me introduce you to the 糖水 (Tong Sui) trend, along with some gratuitous city snaps...

Top to bottom, left to right: Black glutinous rice balls with coconut milk, coffee Swiss roll, Matcha green tea latte, Mong Kok by night, Victoria Peak, tofu fa, little egg desserts, Tsim Sa Tsui, honeydew melon sago, Tsim Sa Tsui streets by night, Red bean and coconut milk drink topped with green tea ice cream.

As a British Born Chinese growing up in a very foodie family (we run a smallish chain of restaurants and takeaways), I've always known that a family meal is usually followed by a good helping of 糖水. Anything sweet typically falls under this category and I love it. Love. It. Kate mentioned that she'd like to hear more about the delectable treats that I was consuming and Instagramming whilst in HK, so here ya go, some of my faves, edited into squared photos for consistency (or something like that). Most of my local haunts are independent street markets but I noted that Honeymoon Dessert has a website, if you're interested in starting a must-eat list. ♥

Kaleidoscope of memories

2013-04-05T11:43:00.000+01:00

Channelling my 5 year old self today (well, on the blog at least, I wore this over the Easter weekend, which feels positively lightyears ago now) with a pinafore and my treasured Luella satchel. Just when I was about ready to ~~make my Dad~~ stash my wintery clothing away in the attic - full of lost treasures, like a pared down Aladdin's Cave and Christmas Grotto in one - the skies darken and produce the pretty-but-inconvenient snow for us. Thanks pal.

Grey tunic, H&M; Polka dot pinafore, Miss Selfridge Petites; Wedge boots, c/o Yeswalker; Satchel bag, Luella.

I hopped on the pinafore bandwagon way back in February and am yet to fall off it just yet. After reading Lily's blog post about those new Daisy Street numbers, I think there's a while to go until I resurface into dressing-for-my-age territory. Also, even Millie Mac sported a pinafore with a beyond-beautiful lace top underneath, so y'know, regressing is the in thing apparently.

This week I've felt a little uneasy, a little up and down. I'm also working on a few of those pesky 'midnight lightbulb moment' projects at the moment, hopefully I actually pursue it this summer and get round to sharin'! In other news, I'm really excited to see and meet lots of looovely bloggers at the AX Paris Circus event next Wednesday - feels like an age since I last saw some of my favourite girls! Other than that, I hope you're all well and finding inventive ways to combat the everlasting winter. Hugging my radiator and watching an entire K-dramas in the space of about eight days has certainly aided my mood! ♥

The last eight months

2013-04-03T12:30:00.000+01:00

Typing parts of this blog post at 1:47am on Monday morning because sometimes, you just get that odd midnight inspiration to chatter away. That time is right now. So I guess we're in the British summertime now, enjoying highs of around 3°C… and a hello to the most incessantly British opening to a blog post in ever. Nice to see you! ;)

Red printed T-shirt, c/o Uniqlo; Skirt, Unnamed boutique in Tseun Wan; Faux fur coat, Veeko; Kitty flatform wedges, Another unnamed boutique in Tsuen Wan; Initial necklace, c/o Ladybird Likes.

Over the Easter bank holiday weekend, I went out for food (no surprises there, right?) with my brother and sister. Cracked out this little ensemble and it was the perfect casual cosy chic look for lunch at ASK in our little hometown. Much like the rest of the fashion enthusiast ranks, I've been completely taken by the Celia Birtwell collection for Uniqlo. I'm a huge fan of Uniqlo because their clothes are just so insanely comfortable and… wearable, I guess? Basically they tick all the boxes for me and I'm forever finding new Uniqlo additions to ye olde wardrobe without realising. This red printed T-shirt is absolutely perfect, so soft and the best loose-but-fitted fit. (Am I making sense? I've been awake since stupid o'clock and we're now nearing 2am.) It's actually super long on me so I think I could get away with wearing it as a shirt dress. ~~Awaiting judgemental glances and comments.~~

Plumped for my faux fur coat with this outfit, although I'm wearing it today too. With the weather remaining at a lovely summertime low, it makes sense to get as much wear out of it until I have to stash it away. Finally, I absolutely need to mention my kitty flatforms. Sadly they're not genuine Charlotte Olympias -- in fact, I picked these up in another of my favourite boutiques in Tseun Wan, and they were only around £24 which is a bargain! So adorable and comfy.

… So, we've reached 2am and my train of thought is absolutely everywhere at the moment. Hope you enjoyed a taster of nocturnal blogging life and seeing one of my current favourite outfits! Bonus outtake here because normal-human outfit photos are so yesterday. Come and chat over on Twitter? ♥