Circus Style

Jewellery brand Benu creates a range of handmade and unique pieces with leather.  Based in London, designer and maker Pauline Hagan draws and hand-cuts each item.  With their metallic sheens and bold brights, these necklaces are the perfect popping statement to accompany a fun look.  I love these necklaces that remind me of the circus, with their young feel and thrill of spectacle!

       

Gold Leather Triangle Charm Necklace, £14         

Triangle and Neon Pink Pom Pom Necklace, £16

     

      Geometric Leather Collar Necklace, £15

 

Leather Circle Necklace with Multicoloured Petals, £15

If you don't want to wear the circus look, how about adding a touch of the frivolity to your home with these quirky throw cushions from Beci Callow.  Handmade and printed in Brighton with the addition of little decorative pom poms.

Decorative Circus Animal Pillow, £10

Circus Lion Animal Pillow, £10

Decorative Animal Pillow, £12

So stop clowning around and grab one today, they're a bargain retailing at £15 or less!

Stockists & Websites:

www.etsy.com/shop/BeciCallow
www.etsy.com/shop/BenuShop

www.thelittledeer.co.uk

www.shopattheoldfirestation.bigcartel.com

Beara Beara Backpacks

I've long been a fan of the backpack, or mini backpacks to be precise.  I have a gorgeous little oval tan one that I take everywhere with me. They are so practical, despite their small size they can fit so much in them and normally they have zip pockets too. I was browsing the web the other day, looking for a new backpack to add to my growing collection when I stumbled upon this great brand, Beara Beara.

Handcrafted from high-quality durable leather and vintage Andean cloth in Bolivia, each bag is a distinct and unique reflection on the skills passed through generations within this rich culture.  Here's a selection of the backpacks they create:  

Santa Cruz Classic Backpack Black, £145

Santa Cruz Embossed Backpack Tan, £145

The Santa Cruz Backpack comes in a range of natural leather colours including black, tan, red and brown. They also come in this embossed version.

Mochata Backpack Aqua Green, £122

Mochata Backpack Mustard, £122

The Mochata Backpack is also available in a mini version called Mochita, which has one front pocket instead of two. These come in a series of suede brights including dark green, purple, red, mustard and aqua green.

Bamba Backpack Red, £125

Stefano Backpack, £165

The Bamba and the Stefano backpacks are built with durability in mind, constructed with a rigid leather.  The Bamba is available in black, dark green and red.

If backpacks aren't your cup of tea, why not try one of the other bag types Beara Beara has to offer, from satchels to handbags:

Luna Satchel, £130

Santa Anna Satchel Small, £145

Great for casual daywear or adding a splash of navajo chic to your work outfit, these satchels available in regular and small sizes stand out from the crowd of satchels being produced since The Cambridge Satchel Company craze.

Anita Handbag, £68

Coca Handbag, £38

These cute clutches not only look great with their woven cloth outer but are practical too with the addition of handy mobile phone size pockets.

Tomina Handbag Yellow, £95

Juanita Handbag Blue, £45

Add a pop of colour with these vibrant suede handbags.  The shoulder strap is perfect for throwing over your arm and stepping out on your daily journeys of discovery!  

Their bags have an amazing story too; the founder of the company Jake Bullough, having journeyed to Bolivia as a travel writer, met a family who produced leather bags in a small shop in the back streets of the city. Recognising the exceptional craftsmanship, Bullough began to collaborate with the family, turning his designs into reality. Ethically minded, Bullough's intention has been to help the family, and other struggling Bolivian families, by providing them with a substantial amount of work to improve their financial means and standard of living. 

Website & Stockists:

www.bearabeara.co.uk

www.boticca.com

www.marketplace.asos.com

Wolf & Moon Necklaces

So, I recently had a rather important interview for a position at a world renowned theatre and wanted to wear something rather special to wow them.  Dressed in a corporate outfit (black jacket, H&M grey and black dress and New Look Black Suede Buckle Pumps) I needed something with a little more panache to add theatricality and colour.  Here is my solution:

This Wolf & Moon necklace, retailing at £35.00, is the perfect accessory for any occasion. Taken from their Crystallized Collection, the necklace is made up of perspex and plywood pieces cut into geometric shapes to imitate crystal formations and kaleidoscope patterns. Created by artist and designer Hannah Davis, each item of jewellery is unique and handmade to order in Hannah's Brighton based studio. The Crystallized Necklace comes in a range of colours including:

Wolf & Moon, Crystallized Necklace in Teal, £35

Wolf & Moon, Crystallized Necklace in Horn, £35

Surprisingly, Wolf & Moon's products are very affordable considering their bespoke production and bejeweled style. But, if you're willing to spend a little more and want to go all out on a show-stopping statement piece, then opt for these slightly larger versions of the Crystallized Necklace. These Kaleidoscope Necklaces also come in a range of colours to suit any outfit and have two gold-plated chains for added opulence.

Wolf & Moon, Kaleidoscope Necklace in Blue, £70

Wolf & Moon, Kaleidoscope Necklace in Frost &
 Tortoiseshell, £70

If you're as much of a fan of this quirky brand as I am, you won't hesitate to purchase yours! Perhaps even adding to your basket a matching set of earrings or a bracelet to complete the look!

Wolf & Moon, Crystallized Earrings in Purple, £35

Wolf & Moon, Little Cluster Earrings in Iridescent,
£22

Wolf & Moon, Crystal Drop Earrings in Black Glitter,
£24

Wolf & Moon, Kaleidoscope Bracelet in Blue, £22

The final look! Here I am post-interview looking a little apprehensive but the necklace looks great!

Poor Quality Snap Post-Interview!

Website:
www.wolf-and-moon.com

Jardins D'EDEN & Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Detox, Indulge and Unwind - It's all we want to do after a long and stressful day, and there's no better way to do it than with Jardins D'EDEN's beautiful products that come in these three luxurious ranges, as well as an Essentials range.

Produced by three sisters, Zeina, Rima and Zahira Nazer, this truly is a family affair!  Following in their father's 'maître savonnier' footsteps and inspired by local Lebanese traditions, the body products are all-natural, olive oil based and handmade.

I have recently had the pleasure of sampling the Indulge Heavenly Butter, retailing at £30, it's the perfect product to pamper yourself with.  The first thing I noticed when using the Heavenly Butter was the rich aromatherapy oils used, on opening the generous glass tub I was immersed in the relaxing fragrances of rose, geranium and palmarosa.  The butter itself is so creamy, not at all greasy, made with organic unrefined shea butter, cocoa butter, mango butter and kukui butter. On application, my skin felt soft and smooth, and deeply moisturised!

Jardins D'EDEN Body Butters, £30

Jardins D'EDEN's Heavenly Butter is not just for the body, but can be used on hair too.  Always looking for a way to enrich my heat-damaged locks, I was eager to try the butter as a pre-hairwash conditioning treatment.  Sure enough, my hair was left feeling sleek and less frizzy than usual, and my scalp felt wonderful too!

The next product I tried was the Detox Grapefruit & Juniper Berry Soap Bar, retailing at £8, it's a bargain for bath-time.  Whilst the product is a detoxifying blend of grapefruit, juniper berry, rosemary and cypress oil, it is just as sumptuous and aromatic as the other ranges.  When I used the soap it was cleansing and refreshing, made with lemon peel, it exfoliated my skin without being abrasive.

Jardin D'EDEN, Detox Grapefruit & Juniper Berry Soap Bar, £8 

Free from artificial colours, parabens, EDTA, SLS and chemical detergents, Jardins D'EDEN's products are suitable for all skin types and their butters are particularly soothing for eczema, chapped skin, psoriasis, dry skin, acne and dry hair sufferers.

And now there's an even better reason to purchase your Jardins D'EDEN product this month as they are participating in Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  All products sold in their shop in North London and on-line at www.jardinsdeden.co.uk are being wrapped with a pink ribbon and 10% of all sales will be donated to the cause!  So get buying girls, they'll make perfect Christmas presents too! 

Stockists & Website:

Jardins D'EDEN's products are sold in Harrods, selected spas, Whole Foods Market Kensington and their own shop on Queens Parade, London.

www.jardinsdeden.co.uk

Buckle Boots

Buckle me up baby. So we're really getting into the autumnal season now and it's time to boot up! This Fall '13 it's all about the ankle buckle boots, with varying cut-out, colour and texture detail. Take a look at my following high-street finds to work the look yourself!

Tanned Tease

I am in love with these Bertie boots! To be fair, I'm in love with anything Bertie produces, they are such a super stylish, individual, comfortable and great quality brand. These tan booties are a quirky twist on the buckle boot, with their embossed leather upper and tongue. They are a definitely my winter boot must-have!

Bertie, Poddy Double Buckle Embossed Boots, £92.00

Wedge Woman

These Dune boots are fantastic for daytime chic. I'm a real advocate of the wedge style, they're perfect if you want to get a bit of height without going all out in a pair of heels. This demure style will dress-up any outfit, but I'm thinking weekends away in the countryside when you'll be walking about. Nothing beats the comfort of the wedge!

Dune, Black Peet Side Buckle Wedge Ankle Boot, £99.00

Chelsea Girl

These Lotus alternatives to the traditional chelsea boot style, brings high-shine glamour to the buckle trend. The black crinkle patent adds an unusual texture which is entirely individual to this boot. The modest heel height is perfect to be worn during the day, but the glossy finish makes them perfect to transition into night-wear. Team with a floaty dress (like this ASOS one found here) to add punk-appeal!

Lotus, Melton Buckle Ankle Boot, £55

Scary Spice

Meeeooww.  Become a total wild cat (I am not referring to HSM) in these darling ankle boots. As per, leopard print is still 'in Vogue', becoming a bit of a wardrobe staple of late. Update your collection with these buckled-up babies, celebrity endorsed by fashion It Girl, Fearne Cotton.

Fearne Cotton for Very, Mara Suede Buckle Boots, £60.00

Colour Popper
These Pull & Bear boots are very on trend with their bold pink colour! Almost like a cowboy boot, this modern take on western styling is brought up-to-date with the addition of the silver buckles! They'll be great to add colour to any casual outfit, team with skin-tight tube pants (like these ASOS ones available here).

Pull & Bear, Three Buckle Ankle Boots, £49.99

Metal Maiden
These little pixie boots are so cute! The gold detailing on the toe really works with the three buckled heel, adding an edge to these would-be Mod boots. Team with a plain black shift dress (like this Dorothy Perkins dress available here) and bare legs for the perfect 60s revival.

Report Signature, Noma Black Buckled Flat Ankle Boots, £95.00

Punk Princess
These Jeffrey Campbell boots are perfect for rocking the punk trend of the season, covered in studs, buckles and with a chunky heel and platform. They'll be great to clomp about in, but have a delicate aspect with the cut-out detailing.

Jeffrey Campbell, Colburn Buckle Ankle Boot, £130.00

Stockists:
www.asos.com
www.debenhams.com
www.dorothyperkins.com
www.dune.co.uk
www.isme.com
www.office.co.uk
www.pullandbear.com
www.reportshoes.com/

www.very.co.uk