MULBERRY COACHELLA POOL PARTY

Mulberry always seems to throw the best parties! Here's some snaps from their Coachella pool party in Palm Springs the other day, where Kasabian and Wild Belles performed to a crowd of gorge celebs decked out in Mulberry threadz... But where was Lana Del Rey or Olivia Palermo? Del Rey has a new (surprisingly demure bowling-style) bag out in her honour and Palermo never misses a Mulberry do? Oh well, Kate Bosworth was there in spades so I guess that kind of makes up for their absence.

Here's an awkward photo of Emma Watson shamelessly over-accessorising that cute playsuit. I've always had a hunch that Emma has horrific personal style and counters it with a good stylist. BUT WHERE WAS SHE TODAY, EH?

Omnipresent Bosworth.

Cute-as-a-button Lily Collins with Emma Watson again. I mean, even if she just took off the cardigan and the belt, surely that would make this a million times better, right?

I love Lily Collins.

Bikini-clad beautiful person.

Collins and Bosworth posing their wee hearts out. Bos could do with toning it down a tad. Still, loving those lime-green earrings. Pop!

Dree Hemingway needs her roots doing but it's cool cos she's wearing a distractingly-gorgeous dress/top and skirt so you hardly notice really.

Cara Delevingne working the I-just-fell-out-of-bed-and-shoved-my-washing-pile-back-on look. WARNING, do not re-create unless you are a model. Consequences are disastrous, trust me.

Tali Lennox looking smugly chic, if only it wasn't for that belt. Yee-Haa! By the way, do any of you follow Tali on Twitter? She says some SPECTACULARLY STUPID things! Go see what I mean. Utter tubular belle.

Anyways, I'm not doing any Coachella Fashion posts or anything because I'm already sick of them and let's be honest, festival fashion never really changes. So predictable, blergh.

YES I'M BITTER I'M NOT GOING TO ANY FESTIVALS THIS YEAR, WHAT OF IT'?

RAWWWWWKSANNE!

You don't have to put on your red light... etc.

No, but seriously, I really don't want this blog to turn into a tedious captain's log of all the crap I buy on a daily/weekly/monthly basis cos let's face it, that would be pretty boring for you guys and would also make me look like a some kind of nutcase shopaholic with bags of money to burn - the latter of which, at least, is DEFINITELY not the case...

That said, I've been doing a few freelance things here and there on top of the day job and felt like treating myself to a new Mulberry bag, this time in black. My mind went from the Taylor to the Harriet to the Polly Pushlock and back again, until I realised I was overlooking a Mulberry CLASSIC: the iconic Roxanne bag.

One problem - it's been discontinued. At least I think it has, I've read a few conflicting things - one blogger said it was brought back last year for a limited time - but either way it was an absolute MUST HAVE a good few years ago but has slipped by the wayside in favour of the Alexa and Lily etc. But even Mulberry themselves hold it in the same esteem as their Bayswater classic, and there are usually a few to be found kicking around the outlet stores down south.

Once I realised this was the bag for me, I had a wee reccy on eBay and discovered someone selling a slightly battered, deliciously worn-in black leather Roxanne for only £185.

BARGAIN!

And look what arrived today!

I am so in love with this bag. It's probably not everyone's cup of tea - the brass hardware, pockets, belts and buckles mean it looks quite busy on the front but that's one of the things I love about it. The other is the fact that it's been pre-owned. I couldn't bear the thought of someone keeping such a gorgeous bag at the back of their wardrobe for years, never fully appreciating it, and because it's been used, the thick leather is buttery soft, flexible and uniquely creased. It's the kind of bag that's only going to get better with age - something I don't think I'll be able to say about it's much flimsier cousin, the Alexa, which is already starting to look slightly battered and dated...

Anyway, you get it. I love it. Here it is with me at work, just for the hell of it.

The little Mulberry trees are stamped on all the studs :)

Look, it opens!

I am SO busy at work right now.........

Argh! Sorry for the plook and massive eye bags - currently completing my second week of midnight-finishes which are NOT kind to the skin/eyes/soul.

But yeah. I love this bag. Sorry to, like, shove it all in yer faces. Basically my point is next time you're in the mood to splurge consider some pre-loved designer ware, in particular Mulberry. When the bags are of this high quality and have such lasting appeal, you can't really go wrong.

MULBERRY BARGAIN!

Say hello to my new winter/spring tweed boyfriend coat, courtesy of the irresistible Mulberry sale...

I have something similar from Topshop but it's totally done, and I couldn't resist this bargain - £275 down from £595! Real tweed and check out those gold buttons... Swish.

I love a boxy, mannish coat so I do, total epitome of dress up or down. Seems like a bit of a splurge but I mainly just got money from Santa and I was privy to a cheeky wee tax rebate recently so BAYUM, I just went and bought it! Cannot WAIT for it to arrive.

There's hunners of other things in the sale, including that gorgeous dress Fearne Cotton wore on Children and Need (totes stunning - when she gets it right she gets it RIGHT) so have a swatch, but be quick!

RECENT PURCHASES: NOV&DEC 2011

Howdy, y'all.

Currently obsessed with Christmas shopping, but it seems I can't trawl the shops these days without arriving home LADEN with treats for myself too. Shameful!

 In case you're wondering, here's a selection of STUFF I've been buying the last few weeks:

Topsop 'Fluro' ombre jumper. Just trust me when I say it's much nicer in real life. It's a little bit pinker at the top and quite slouchy and over-sized. Perfect for these really dull winter days when the sun never seems to properly rise.

This was ACTUALLY the only piece of clothing I've bought in the last wee while you guys, SO unlike me! The rest of my purchases have been more makeup/skincare based...

Topshop Pillow Talk lipstick. If you follow me on Twitter you might remember a while back I was asking you guys for some nice pale pink lipstick recommendations and this badboy got a lot of hype. I only bought it today so I can't tell you what it looks like on, but hopefully it'll suit me. I have fairly dark browny/pink lips naturally so I hope this has enough pigmentation to properly cover them up and not sit in the cracks and gross chapped bits. Boke! That actually makes a nice segway into my next purchase...

Elizabeth Arden 8 hour skin protectant for lips. I get really bad chapped, broken and sometimes bleeding lips in the winter which I constantly bite and pick at - HOW ATTRACTIVE, GUYS. For the last few years I've been religiously using my Smiths Rosebud Salve - cult fave - but this year they've been particularly bad and I felt it just wasn't cutting it.

I'd heard from a friend this was the way to go, but I got a PURE shock when I realised it was £18! However the girl at the counter assured me that for sore, red, chapped lips there really is nothing better, so I shelled out the moolah. SAW ME COMING, EH?

I've only been using it for a few hours but already my lips feel SO moisturised and much less inflamed. I was worried the texture might be gloopy or thick like the Burts Bees lip balm which I just DO NOT get on with, but thankfully it's light and there's a slight sheen too. I also like the citrus smell and white packaging so all in all, so far I'd say it's worth the money.

Sleek Storm i-Divine palette. I'd been hearing about the Sleek eyeshadow palettes for ages but never really felt much need to get one - usually I'm happy with a generous slick of liquid eyeliner and lashings of mascara, however, for this Christmas season I really wanted to try out some warm, browns, berries and golds.

I'm sure I've mentioned to you all before about what a beginner I am when it comes to makeup, but I kinda felt like only a PROPER DONKEY could go wrong with this particular palette. There are a wide range of shades to blend together (some shimmery and some matte), and a nice wee mirror and applicator, though I might chuck that out and get a proper brush.

I've been using it for a few weeks, on and off and I find the colours really pigmented and easy to blend. I'm still getting used to seeing my eyes with eyeshadow and not just eyeliner as it's quite a DONE sort of look, but for nights out I think I definitely quite like it.

Make Up For Ever HD Foundation. So I've been using my Skin 79 Intense Classic Blemish Balm solidly for a while now as I felt like I needed the extra coverage and slightly satin finish it gives me. Plus, it matches my skin tone EXACTLY. However, recently I've been watching more and more YouTube tutorials which feature this foundation and I love the look of it. It's not cheap though, I paid over £30 for this beast, so I have pretty high expectations. It should arrive in the next few days so I'll let you guys know what it's like. Anyone out there use it? What can I expect?

Mac 187 brush. To use with the HD foundation innit. I usually just use my fingers, or my flat Ruby and Millie foundation brush to apply foundation but I like this swirling, buffing motion I keep seeing and hearing about (amateur guys, I told you) and I fancy giving it a go. This is probably a bit of an unnecessary splurge but WHAT THE HELL, it's Christmas!

Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil finishing power.  Simply the best finishing power I've ever used. Fact! This is a much-needed and long-awaited repurchase.

Dermalogica Overnight Clearing Gel and Clearing Mattifier. In my tireless, NEVER-ENDING quest for the right skincare to tackle my evil, spot-prone skin that hates me, I stumbled across a YouTube video of Lisa Eldridge using the clearing mattifier and chatting all kindsa good stuff about how it helps control oil and stop breakouts etc etc, and I totes trust her word so, BAM, I just shelled out over £60 for these two products.

I'm really hoping these make a long-term difference you guys. I'm so sick of trying new products with my hopes all up and then nothing happening. Or in the case of the Alpha H Liquid Gold, a totes unexpected painful burning sensation and immediate breakouts the next morning :( If I'm honest though, my skin has been slightly better than usual the past 2 weeks, and that's thanks to my next new buy...

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. I am SO glad I bought this. At first it was a bit weird smearing the white cream all over my dry face, but now that I'm used to it I can say that WITHOUT A DOUBT it's the best cleanser I've ever used. The process can be a little time-consuming what with all the rubbing, rinsing the cloth, wiping away, rinsing again and repeating, but the results are totally worth it. After patting my face dry it's completely smooth and comfortable - by that I mean it's not bright red and tight as it usually is with soapy or exfoliating cleansers. I haven't noticed a dramtic reduction in the apperance of blemishes but the overall texture of my skin is much improved. The soft, calm effect is still there in the morning when I wake up and I've noticed that I don't need to use a moisturiser in the morning any more. And it literally removes every single stitch of makeup - waterproof mascara, lipstick, you name it - without all that nasty aggravating scrubbing or harshness of astringent removers.

Seriously guys, this is my new Holy Grail product and I've been raving to everyone I see about it. It's about £18 for the largest size in John Lewis but you can get a smaller amount for cheaper if you want to try it. And seriously, YOU DO WANT TO TRY IT.

Yankee Candle in Christmas Cookie. Not clothes, makeup or skincare-y based at all but something else I'm totally loving at the moment - the Christmas Cookie Yankee candle! The others in the Yankee Candles Christmas range, like Christmas Eve, Happy Christmas and Christmas Tree are all nice enough but it's Christmas Cookie's sickly sweet and warm cosiness I can't get enough of! Sweet scents aren't for everyone and I might not get this as a present for someone unless I'm sure they really are into it, but personally I have a massive sweet tooth that just won't quit so this is perfect for me.

I love giving Yankee Candles as gifts. Sometimes candles can seem like a bit of a namby-pamby cop out but the Yankee range is so well-known and credible, which such a massive range to suit everyone that I can't imagine anybody being disappointed with one under the Christmas tree.

*cough* Hint, santa?

Finally, something I WISH I'd bought recently...

Large Mulberry Evelina satchel in black.

Please, Santa? GO ONNNNN!!!

x

BAGS BAGS AND MORE BAGS

Oh how I love me a designer bag! Well, did you know (cos I didn't) that e-handbag retailer extraordinaire, MyBag.com, are running some PRETTY SWEET offers over this festive season? One in particular caught my eye - 15% off their bevvy of vintage designer beauties. Beauties liiiiiike...

Aquascutum

Gucci

Pucci

Guy Laroche

And my persona favourite...

It's only a freakin' CHANEL mini backpack! I die...

You just need to enter VINTAGE15 at the checkout. I'm actually not sure how long this offer runs for but try it anyway... Other awesome ones coming up this month include 50% off snoods, 20% off clutch bags, 15% off Disney Couture and 75% of Dior scarves. Pretty nifty, aye? Aye.

PS Turns up my mug is on the Mulberry offical blog afterall. LOLZ!

PPS Tomorrow is the last day to enter my Monki giveaway to win a little black velvet dress. It's pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.

MULBERRY LOVES SCOTLAND

Y'all know how much I bang on about Mulberry, right? Well, last week I was very kindly invited to a fabulous event at the Mulberry store in Ingram Street in Glasgow - Mulberry Loves Scotland -  in celebration of the brand's Spring Summer 2012 collection. 

HOW ON EARTH could I pass up an opportunity to schmooze with press and customers alike, be wined and dined by the PR team, and spend quality time in the company of some of THE most gorgeous bags and accessories ever? I couldn't. Obviously.

What follows are about ten squillion photos and some ramblings about the collection.

Here is the lovely Carrie (stylish stylist who I work with at the Herald & Evening Times Group) looking WAY chic in her signature stripes-and-Alexa combo.

During the schmoozing and boozing in store, the lovely Jack from Mulberry HQ in London showed me a few of the stores best sellers (Bayswaters, Alexas and a particular leopard-print Evelina he couldn't keep his hands off) along with some of Spring Summer's newcomers.

Afterwards, we all trooped across Royal Exchange Sqare to the UBER posh 29 Private Members Club for wur tea. Well classy, and check out the awesome Mulberry decorations!

Animal balloon craziness.

Those OOOH! glasses were such a hoot and allowed for many hilarious photo opportunities, but I was also MASSIVELY impressed by the food! I had myself a Caesar salad, one of the nicest steaks I've EVER tasted and a scrummy pear tart. But the stand out food of the night had to be the freshly-baked bread to start. I genuinely couldn't believe bread could taste SO GOOD!

Bread deliciousness. MMM!

Um, tasty.

Spread out all over the lavish table were the sweetest wee Polaroid cameras to capture the debauchery. Here's a few of the photos we took up our end. Jack collected these up at the end of the night with a view to putting them on the official Mulberry blog - EEK! can you imagine my mug on there? Keep yer peepers peeled!

Stuffing my face. I'm so attractive, right? Wearing my red velvet Monki frock, the black version of which I am still GIVING AWAY but only until the 4th of Dec so get entering!

Oh hey there, DRUNK EYES.

Oooh bantz!

After the meal we got to leave with an animal balloon - I took the tiger which caused muchos taxi hilarity and scared the crap out my cat - a press pack and a TRULY EPIC goody bag! Here's a sneak peek at the BOOTY:

Cute, individual press pack canvas bag. Ooh, I say!

Lookbook made to look like a ice-cream wafer. UM, awesome.

General contents including all the relevant lookbooks, some more OOOH glasses, leather friendship bracelet, sticks of Mulberry rock, stickers and a stunning Mulberry scarf featuring the cutest embroidered doodles.

Like, WOW.

Some of my favourite bags from the accessories lookbook.

Please note in particular the pale pink Alexa and leopard-print Bayswater. I'm in love.

Absolutely adore that first outfit on the left - yes to shimmering metallics for next summer!

Some more favourites from Spring Summer 12, described by Mulberry as "inspired by the Great British summer and seaside shenanigans; donkey rides, ice-cream on the beach, sparkling pier lights and kiss-me-quick chic. Our new season is oh-so English, from the of ‘Carry On Camping’ to the quirky English habit of enduring the beach no matter the weather, raincoats and nostalgic fun all! Add plenty of eclectic Mulberry charm and wit, luxe detailing, signature season prints and strong layered silhouettes for our most bonkers and beautiful season yet!

Most bonkers and beautiful season yet? Couldn't agree more, Mulberry!

I'm really glad that Mulberry decided to host an event up here. As a quintessentially English name, it shows great brand initiative and integrity by branching out and making key press connections north of the border. After all, we are AWFY FOND of a Heritage label in Bonnie Scotland, and it's important for us all to get behind BRITISH fashion so the immense amount of talent we harbour in this country can continue to make an impact on a global stage.

And when the pieces are as expertly-crafted, luxurious, innovative and easy on the eyes as Mulberry's world-renowned accessories and garments are, it's not a hard task!

Thanks to the PRs, 29 Members Club Glasgow and Mulberry Ingram St Glasgow for an awesome evening.

x