Presenting the 'here and now'

As a notorious over thinker i spend too much time worrying about the past or dreaming of the future, and not enough time living in the present. I resent that drunken comment which i made last Saturday night, and worry about what to wear this Friday night. Knowing full well i will find the perfect outfit and the drunken comment has been long forgotten, along with the number of tequila slammers i lined up that night.
In order to get the most out of life we are told to 'seize the day'. So why do so many of us have trouble living in the now? We are constantly distracted by mental thoughts of being somewhere else, whether that's tucked up in bed, out with friends or on holiday. We are dreaming of the perfect place and how happy we will be when we get there. Whereas in reality, happiness is achieved by putting 100% focus on our immediate needs.
I am about to step into my first ever long distance relationship this is my ultimate test of living in the here and now. Weekends together will be short and far between. So this is my vow to make every minute we spend together count. I will not dream of perfect weekends spent picnicing because it will only end up raining or get angry that my train was delayed and we missed drinks with friends.
I will remember there is no better time than the present, and if not i always have my summer holiday to look forward too.

What do you See...

"Sometimes it's hard to walk in a single girls shoes that's why we need really special ones to make the walk more fun."

See by Chloe Shoes

I'm in the shirt...and love it!

I seem to be growing quite a collection of shirts in an array of colours and i don't intend to stop any time soon.

The thing with a shirt is, no matter what the occasion, how your feeling or what the weather, it will make you look and feel great, and your instantly ready to take on any task.

Shirts are the easiest way to do the silk/sheer texture trend, and adding a lace bralette underneath layering becomes easy peasy. The only thing i want to know is how to keep the creases away!

A shirt will be my go-to item for the summer. Brights for colour blocking, buttoned up for preppy and floral and billowing for 70's.

moving forward or going back

When someone comes back into your life, uunexpected and completely out of the blue - do you take it for what it is, complete coincidence and get back on with each other's separate lives or is this fate at work? Could this be a sign to start a fresh with them or to close that door and lock it behind you?

According to Sex and the City's Samantha men are there for women to enjoy them and set them free - a theory me and my best friend swear by for boys who generally don't stick around and run an mile when you mention swapping numbers.

But what if i have had enough of this theory. For once i would like someone to stick around for a little bit longer - at least for bacon butties the next day.

Now after four distant years all the un-answered questions have been answered and i am left wondering whether to walk away for the second time or admit to my curiosity.

3 ways to wear....a gilet

Country classic. The heritage look i couldn't help indulge in. Camel, elbow patches, and a dark green gilet. You've got to look asif you own a horse, earn a fortune and eat a Sunday lunch at the local pub. City urban gilet. More relaxed and by far my favourite. This is less posh Barbour girl. The gilet is all about mixing layers up, here i have put an American apparel hoodie underneath and added my hobo style hat for that rough boyish edge. Lastly is the chunky knit which as been huge this season. With such thick layers i belted it up, i guess I've got to be feminine sometimes.

Your so vain

This weeks Shortlist looks at how the British male grooming has grown.

Have you noticed how the everyday man we pass on the street is now making the most of himself?  With so much on offer on the shelves of Boots, and the media saying it is OK to moisturise and smell good, men are more aware of the ever growing range of grooming products available and, are more open about using them.
This is, not as we might think, influenced by the modern 'metrosexual' man but by money and status in the work place. In a survery by L'Oreal, 47% of men said thier well-managed appearence helped them climb the business ladder. Men have recognised that looking and feeling well groomed will have a postitive impact on how they feel about themselves and how they perform in other areas of their life.

Admittingly there is nothing more appealing than a man who knows how to take care of himself. I'm not only talking about being well groomed but rather of everyday well being and house keeping. I say this because a boy-friend of mine recently stayed for a few nights in my house, a house which i share with 2 girls so is, generally, a pretty clean one. After a long day at work I came home from work to find he had not only tidied my room, and made my bed, but also hoovered the house. Yes, i nearly fell over in shock too!!

I will always like men for being just that - a man, and being far less vain than any girl i know. Because however good these well groomed men may be looking, it is unacceptable for a man to spend the same amount of time as me in front of a mirror. That is why the R-patz and Johnny depp hobo style will always win me over, prefereing the rugged over the pampered - and their smelly unwashed ways haven't affected their world famous careers.
And in the end if you can make me cry with laughter, even if your slightly un-kept and don't moisturise every night, then your better groomed than any product Boots can offer.

Spot the difference..

"New Yorkers are better groomed, but Londoners make up for their chipped nail varnish and un-whitened teeth with very cool clothes."

Crossed the line?

If you know anything of fashion this season then you'll know were are facing an of simplicity. The age of extremes are over.
This maybe explains my ever occurring yawn over lady Gaga.
She will never fail to surprise, and the Hause of Gaga (the term used to describe her behind the scenes creative team) is one that will constantly intrigue and captivate the entire world.
But has she taken it a step too far this time?
I think so.

I couldn't agree more...

Reading Russell Brand's Booky Wook 2 is probably the best decision you could make.
The book is written exactly as he speaks, demonstrating the power of the English language at it's best,
which is the exact reason that makes it so worth while reading. It's different - refreshing if anything!
Following the know sober but still scandalous brand as he embarks on his ever-growing ego and fame, it is full of Russell's logic and theory to life thrown in with charming wit.
You might think brand talks a load of nonsense the majority of the time but his book is full of his interesting outlook on life.....

"Do we humans properly understand the notion of the future? It doesn't seem we do. i'll agree to almost anything as long as it's way-off yonder - secretly believing the allotted time will never actually arrive."

An exciting read that will be put a huge smile on your face no matter how awful your day as been.

WARNING: INFORMATION OVERLOAD

You would think coming to london would have inspired me, this is the city people come to to 'make it happen', right?
However what has happened in the past few weeks has been the complete opposite.The vicious rat race has caught up with me and i have been affected by 21st century information overload.

   newspapers,magazines, radio, twitter, facebook, youtube.

We want to know everything and we want to know it now.
 Is it just me that finds it especially difficult to filter what is actually important and relevant?
All this has resulted in me losing focus on why i'm here, in this amazing city with this incredible internship and opportunities.
So when feeling incredibly lost and overwhelmed it's important  to focus on putting on step in front of another. For me this mainly involves getting through my incredibly long working days - which as a uni student i am not at all familiar with!
My lack of creatvity (and blogging) has been due to getting caught up in the mundane everyday tasks that need to be done, in order to get from one day to the next.
I refuse to put any out of reach goals on my to do list for the day, for the one fact i have no idea what these goals are or where the hell i'm heading.

TO DO:

-washing up

-buy milk

-style a photoshoot in central london

-save up for mulberry Alexa

To get to where you want to be the little footsteps are vital - whether you know where your heading or not.

Just a little bit in love...

With this man....


I bumped into him last week in Covent Gardens last week. And yes, he was exactly as he is known, like an annoying little kid that you can't help but love!

Rock with you, all night!

In honour of big brother housemate shabby and the mighty MJ i am testing the masculine hat.

A hat is a protective blanket away from the world when you having a hideous hair day, and this one from H&M is perfect for that. It also adds an edge to an everyday t-shirt, jeans and loafer look.

I was originally on search for a bowler hat, but this one hits all the right spots. And the fact that it looks more like i stole if from my grandads wardrobe is an added bonus.

Next trend to try... hat and geek glasses. Maybe a step too far?



It's whats inside that counts

A close friend of mine recently tweeted that natural beauty wins him over. This is a constant opinion I am hearing from the opposite sex. And part of me totally agrees. How you look is not the bee all and end all, and we’ve heard the saying countless times, it’s what is inside that counts.

Yes natural beauty is what is it about, and this is all good and well if you’ve got that kind of natural confidence. And if you have, bottle it up for me please. But what if you can’t quite get what’s inside out?
It is about feeling the best you possibly can and expressing yourself in the way you want. Because although it is a horrible thought, we are all pre judged. My clothes speak before i do, so i want them to say something interesting.
Apparently men want to strip us of everything we have, and see us for what we are, which I admit is refreshing; that someone can see past all that crazy dressing and believe in you.
Although all this doesn’t stop my bad habits of stacking on the bracelets, necklaces and rings. Because I say, feel the best you can at all times, no matter what it takes.

touch me

 My first attempt at this seasons textures trend.
Buying something you want to touch all the time is risky business. I don't want to end up being someones pet and stroked all day long! Unless of course, I'm Johnny Depp's pet - then that's a completely different matter.
So I've gone for grown up textures, leather look leggings and a suede top.

Suede top - H&M

Leather leggings - Miss Selfridge

Boots- Nine West

Why i don't dress for men

The essay in Instyle’s October issue is by Emily Dean on why she stopped dressing for men. It made me realise, that I’ve never dressed for men.

There are exceptions to this, like nights out with the girls. Where it is important to feel sexy, it helps you feel confident and ooze the right amount of sex appeal. Enough to get chatting to the guy you’re eyeing up, in order to get your free drink and if you’re lucky, snog of the night.

Fashion is about self expression. Which as Emily Dean’s sister points out to her “is what the problem is with dressing for men, you’re constantly second-guessing someone else’s tastes.”

Some women are ultra feminine and express this with low cut figure hugging dresses. I, on the other hand, am still young and immature and often have masculine tendencies. I’m not saying I burp and fart in public, just that I don’t always sit with my legs crossed and might wear my t-shirt half un-tucked.

The article ends with Emily Dean asking “Why is it that as soon as I stop dressing for men, I start getting genuine interest from men?” Which her friend replies “i think, you’ve just answered your own question.”

This hits the nail on the head as to what my wardrobe is – genuine to who i am, in order to attract genuine interest from the ever confusing opposite sex.

This whole idea of genuine interest might be old fashioned but i believe everyone single or settled should dress genuine to who they are, because it is a well known fact that self-confidence is the most attractive quality in any person.

image from Trend Hunter - Hugo boss ad

Bad guy gone good

According to Company’s September issue nice guys are back, and if Mr Russell Brand can go good, so can I. I’m changing my ways and if i am to become a true geek i need a partner in crime.

Me and my best friend have a saying ‘Fit but shit’. Referring to the brash testosterone fuelled guy who can flirt his way into our lives and pants. But this unpredictable so-called mysterious guy can only last so long until it all becomes tedious and mind numbing. It seems the charm of the bad boy is starting to wear off. Yes i still want the fun, risk taker but also the conservative for the serious times, who isn’t ashamed to show he is capable of caring.
Fashion has gone through a dramatic change and just as the way we shop is changing maybe we should change the way we search for a man. Stop indulging in the £5 Primark dress, save up for the £25 Topshop version – which will last you through all your winter dates, not just the one night stand.
The bad goes as quick as it came, so if i try the good, maybe it’ll last a little longer. I am going to shop for my new man the way i am shopping for my winter wardrobe; finding the one to last. This won’t stop me having risky inappropriate flings along the way because in reality what do you learn from not taking risks.

My Prince Charming

Will buy me...

HannahZakari.com jewellery was featured in this weeks Stylist magazine. Online browsing of the jewellery left a sweet smile on my face but also a sour frown at the prices. The dainty skull bracelet at £55.
It is a fact that is impossible to come across decent, long-lasting jewellery without the price tag. This is understandable really because if it was cheaper it wouldn't be as 'special' and would be found in Topshop next to all the other Freedom costume jewellery.
Hannah Zakari is a one woman operation owned and run by, Rachael Lamb. Her aim is to promote smaller, independent brands as an alternative to mass produced high street items.
I know who I'd prefer to raid my piggy bank for.

A new'un

BIK BOK

A new find. Bik Bok reminds me of Zara TRF collection. It's young and quirky. It's all about mixing and matching, Most of it isn't really my style, but its a fun collection, and offers a mix of brands.
Now I've overcome my geek glasses fear there is no stopping me, I'm planning on grabbing a bowler hat. Is this a step too far? Bik Bok sell one for just £7.99.So we'll see if i can pluck up the courage...

Overdose me.

WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS HAVE BEGUN!

Currently doing a short intern at Entice Communiction PR firm, which specialise in Health, Beauty and Fitness - ever heard of the Power plate or the latest celeb craze, power balance bands? -I'm working on a whole new scope of the PR industry, and seen as it's my first time actually working in the industry, is really exciting. In fact anything new is exciting to me.
However the only down side is i am missing fashion!!
The only daily fix is raiding my housemates wardrobes, and the London Evening Standard's fashion section on my journey home.
So we are hitting Vogue's fashion night out tonight. We have our best brogues on to hit every corner of The fashion Triangle - Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street.

This should be enough to indulge in my over needed fashion fix

Put them on, Take them off

The smart girl is a key trend this winter. Think Alexa Chung and 14 year old blogger Tavi, and it’s clear the geek is still going strong. It has taken some time for me to let this trend sink in and to realise it is here to stay. So here goes. I am embracing my inner nerd and going behind the glass. Geek glasses aren’t for everyone, and I’m unsure I can pull them off, but with some encouragement I have plucked the courage to test ride geek glasses.

This season don’t be afraid to project the ideal woman inside you. Whether it’s smart business woman, curvy housewife or geek girl. It’s easier than you think- and you never know who you might become.