Thursday 6 June 2013

Tilly's trend watch: Dungarees

Dungarees.... Personally they strongly remind me of pregnant women, young children and decorators... (And my ex, who thought he looked really edgy in a light denim super flarey pair, In reality he looked like an absolute arse)

However after seeing a number of celebrities looking pretty stylish in them I'm starting to consider buying a pair, or just persuading my sister to buy a pair so that I can borrow hers without committing to having my own! 

I've browsed the high street and have found quite a few pairs that would look great for the summer. The Boohoo ones are my personal favourite and I'll be wearing them with some tan sandals and a white t-shirt (if I ever build up the courage to buy them...) 


River Island, £28.00 


Missguided, £26.99

Boohoo, £25.00


River Island, £20.00 

New Look, £25.99

Topshop, £38.00 


Sunday 2 June 2013

Tilly's trend watch: Crop Tops

Crop tops are all over the high street at the moment and are definitely a hot trend for SS13. I can honestly say that at first the idea of wearing one filled me with dread, due to the fact that my stomach is currently more like Homer Simpsons than Giselle’s.

However you don’t need washboard abs to pull a crop top off, if like me you aren’t brimming with confidence then wear your crop top over a vest or a lacy body.

You can wear your crop tops with a casual feel by teaming yours with a pair of high waisted jeans, or as mentioned above by layering them. They’re perfect for evening wear too, and look great with maxi skirts, heels and stacks of bracelets!

I've included a selection below, my personal favourite is the batman one because it's awesome!  

Aztec Beaded Crop Top, Topshop £40.00

White Batman comic print crop top, River Island £18.00


White Polka Dot Betty Boop Crop T-Shirt, New Look £12.99


Monchrome Aztec and Red Jewel Neck Crop Top, New Look £16.99


Black and Pink Polka Dot Long Sleeve Crop Top, Love Friday £12.99


Black De Soto Lace Detail Crop Top, Hearts & Bows £12.99



Green tie dye Rihanna bardot crop top, River Island £25.00


Pink Floral Lace Sleeveless Top, Parisian £14.99

Fringe Crop Top, Ribbon £18.00

Tilly loves: Sugar & Vice


Sugar and Vice is an amazing and quirky jewellery brand which started off small and turned into something big! If  your looking for something unique and individual then head straight over to their store where you’ll be spoilt for choice with their array of jewellery, brooches, hair accessories and most recently, clothing.

I did an interview with the brands lovely owner Sarah who shared her style inspirations and her plans for the future of S&V, check it out below.

See their website here: www.sugarandvicedesigns.com/index.php
And like their facebook page here: www.facebook.com/pages/Sugar-Vice/37992071492

What inspired you to start the business?
Honestly? I just wanted to work for myself. The idea of being self employed, making my own rules and doing my own thing really appealed to me. I was working full time in an office at the time and had absolutely no creative outlet so it initially started as a hobby and after a while, allowed me to leave my job and concentrate on the jewellery as a career. I never expected it to work out the way it has done and I'm grateful every day that I get to wake up and do something I adore.
What is your design philosophy?
I don't really have an overall philosophy as such, I just endeavour to create individual pieces that are as fun to wear as they are to look at. I want my jewellery to be a talking point. As a huge fan of bright colours and bold styling, I think it's great when I can create something that compliments a specific outfit. I also never create anything that I wouldn't wear myself!
 Was it difficult starting up a business?
Yes and no. In the beginning it was something that I did as a hobby and to make some pocket money. When my partner and I went full time, it was incredibly difficult financially. We had to be very careful about our spending habits, and had to scrimp and save every penny. Over the years it's become much more managable and we're able to make a living from it, as well as using the extra to expand the business. It's also been a massive learning curve as neither of us had any background in business, so things like taxes and VAT, and even little things like email etiquette and legalities of distance selling have all taken time to get our heads around. It's easy to see why a lot of people in this business give up as you really have to want to do it to get through the hard times, but it's so worth it if you're willing to play the long game.
Who are some of your style icons?
Gosh, that's a tough one! I love people with a distinct uniqueness. In terms of celebrities, I adore Alison Goldfrapp, Marina Diamandis, Paloma Faith and Juno Temple. They're not afraid to take chances and always look fantastic, no matter how 'out there' their fashion choices are. I think it's admirable that they're not afraid to be bold, even in the face of snobby fashion criticism.
Where do you like to shop?
I mostly shop online, if I'm honest. I'm a big fan of the typical high street stores, I'm not a label junkie at all! Stores like H&M, TopShop and New Look are pretty on-the-ball when it comes to their own take on high fashion that's a bit more wearable for the day-to-day. I still love charity shops and eBay too, it allows me to source vintage items and one-offs that can be paired with high street items to create something a bit less identikit. I'm absolutely loving the 90's revival at the moment, it's very inspiring to me.
What's next for the brand?
We've recently launched a small line of clothing using designs that both my partner and I have created. I'm hoping to continue to expand that side of the business, as well as improving our jewellery. We've been doing this for six years but we're still learning new tricks and techniques almost every day. I never want to lose the desire to constantly improve, it's hard work but I think I'll always want to better myself, and my products. My company is the thing that I'm most passionate about so I think people can expect bigger and better, hopefully!



The Seaside collection



Pinwheel Necklace £15.00



Shell Bracelet £13.00


Oyster Necklace £14.00



The Darkside collection
  




High Heels Oversize Earrings £7.00



Dead Fly Necklace £9.00
 




Dolls Eye Ring from £8.00


The Fastfood collection


Candyfloss Necklace £13.00
 



Salmon Roll Necklace £10.00
 




Fortune Cookie Necklace £13.00
 

Apparel 

Skull Bodycon dress £22.00
 

Matryoshka Vest £12.00