Blog Your Way to Japan with InsideJapan Tours!

I've always wanted to visit Japan so when I spotted an incredible blogging competition with InsideJapan Tours in Bristol, I just had to enter! They're offering one lucky blogger & their companion a once in a lifetime blogging trip to the 'Land of the Rising Sun'. To be in with a chance of winning, you must present 12 reasons as to why you want to go to Japan & why you should be chosen.

It didn't take me long to think of 12 reasons why my dashing boyfriend & I should be the chosen pair. Check them out (& wish me luck)...

1. I'm already an established blogger. The Style Rawr has been going for 2 years & we have a great following, we've even been nominated for the occasional blog award! I love to write & along with fashion, I have a real passion for travel. Keeping a daily blog wouldn't phase me at all.

2. We could handle the glittering lights of Tokyo & shop without dropping. We'd be keen (understatement of the year) to try out all the latest gadgets & like Gwen Stefani, I've always been fascinated by the awesome style of the girls in Harajuku! Super Kawaii.

This picture was taken by a friend of ours - we want to be there!

3. We're seasoned travellers. My boyfriend & I have done a fair bit of backpacking (we've been to over 26 countries between us) so we won't run out of steam or become even remotely homesick after 2 & a half weeks in Japan...We'd actually be in our element!

4. Our favourite thing about travelling is experiencing new cultures & learning about the history of a country. We desperately want to stay in a ryokan & sample Japanese traditions. There are so many sights & landmarks to see!

The floating red Torii of Miyajima at sunset. We'd love to recreate this photo.

5. Language isn't a barrier for us. The fact we don't speak Japanese won't be an issue. We've travelled throughout South America without knowing any Spanish. We're fast learners & I'm pretty nifty with a phrasebook.

6. We love taking photos & we're not camera shy. You should see our Facebook photos, talk about snap happy.

A tiny selection of my Facebook albums.

7. Bullet trains. During a hike on the Inca Trail, we befriended a Turkish man who had recently been to Japan. He shared lots of stories about the country & introduced us to the concept of bullet trains. The idea of travelling on one of these ultra fast trains is now firmly set in our minds, it would be incredible!

8. We love to try new food. If we were selected we'd look forward to tasting the Japanese cuisine & then telling the world all about it. How delicious does this Sushi look!?

Source: 1.

9. I'm a self-confessed social media junkie. If we won this trip I'd be blogging, vlogging, tweeting & pinning all over the place. I'd definitely make everyone aware of InsideJapan Tours & how amazing Japan is.

10. We love nature. Google tells us Kamikochi national park is absolutely beautiful but we'd love to experience it first hand. We only imagine how beautiful the landscape must look with all the red Autumn leaves in bloom...


11. We've heard Japan is one of the friendliest countries on the planet. Several friends have gushed about how kind & friendly the Japanese are. We'd really like the opportunity to mix with the locals to see if this is true!

12. Japan is #1 on our 'places to visit' list so we're extremely enthusiastic. If InsideJapan Tours were to pick us they definitely wouldn't be disappointed. There's nothing more exciting than exploring a new country & we're convinced our excitement would encourage others to visit Japan too!



...Please pick us!

Where Fashion Meets Art.

One of the great things about Bristol is its awesome street art. A few weeks back it held the See No Evil 2012 festival where internationally renowned artists came and created incredible pieces on the walls/buildings of Nelson Street.

Not only has this made Nelson street awesome to walk through, it's also made it the perfect back-drop for outfit posts!


I've had this dress hanging in my wardrobe for a while now and I wasn't planning to wear it for today's post, unfortunately there was an incident as I left my house (lets just say I hope I do get luck) & the dress I had on was ruined by nature!


I'm so glad I had this one on standby because I actually think it's pretty darn cute on. It's the Pellar Lace Waistband Skater Dress (£25.99) from Missguided. The lace crochet detail is so pretty, I don't usually like cut-out dresses but I think this one looks really lovely because it's not too revealing.


As it's nearly Autumn (yay), I'm wearing my Pure Wool Bowler Hat (£19.50) from Marks and Spencer. I'm really looking forward to building my hat collection, Urban Outfitters have some super cute ones in at the moment.


My feather cuff is from Accessorize, armour ring is from Topshop & my studded ballet pumps (£25) are also from Topshop. I love these ballet pumps. I have 3 pairs of studded shoes so had to stop myself from buying another yesterday. I'm going stud crazy!

What do you think of this look?

T - One of those 'I like art' type girls. XoX

Introducing Lashes of London!

We were recently introduced to an awesome new brand called Lashes of London. Their S/S 2012 range is colourful, fun and deliciously flirty. I couldn't wait to get my paws on something and ended up nabbing this little number:


Although they've recently launched their online store (use LASHES10 for 10% off your first order), they can also be found at brand mecca USC - which is where you can also score my dress!


I'm wearing the Floral Dress (£45) which I absolutely adore. The print is just so pretty & I like the style too, the cut-outs are really sweet. I've had it for a while now but I've been waiting for the rain to clear so I could strut my stuff...It was totally worth the wait!


I've had a ton of compliments about it already, it's so girly and cute. I paired it with my Coral Suede Ankle Boots (£31.99) from Own The Runway and a Topshop bracelet.


Rumour has it their A/W collection is going to be incredible, I've seen a few pieces pop up on their website but I can't wait to see it all!

Are you a fan of Lashes too? Roll on Autumn!

T - Fluttering her Lashes. XoX

Rawrgirls Review - Lady Gaga's Fame Perfume & Body Lotion!

We have been so excited for the release of Gaga's first perfume, Fame, for aaaaaages now, so when it released last Thursday I ordered it without even smelling it! I know, I'm a crazy bar steward, but that's just how I roll ;)

I went with Superdrug because they were offering the matching body lotion (RRP £13.99) as a free gift with the purchase of the 50ml (£29.99) or 100ml (£53.99) at the time - awesome deal but it seems like that offer is no longer on, so I was lucky to catch that! Anyhoo, what does the blurb say? I lifted this from the Superdrug webby . . . 'Never one to accept the status quo, Lady Gaga's first signature fragrance challenges every existing industry standard. Where there was light, she brings darkness. Where there was transparency, she brings mystery. Where there was fruit, she demanded poison. The result is Lady Gaga Fame, an opulent, crushed-floral fragrance that's black in colour like the soul of fame but transparent once airborne.' I have to say, as poetic as the license is, it pretty much sums it up!

First impressions count, so what is the packaging like? FIERCE. It makes all of my Harajuku Lovers cuties run and hide. An imposing, impressively heavy monster of a bottle, finished with a gold claw like top. The liquid itself is supposedly the first black perfume to turn translucent when airborne - zazzy! We LIKE. The body lotion, in the grand tradition of all layering potions, favours a standard plastic bottle but still manages to pull off a pretty chic dressing table look.


Fame is definitely a bold scent. My first thought was that it hints at Dior's Poison with a touch of Cacharel's Eden, but that's until the fruity tones hit you and then it really comes into it's own. The notes are listed as atropa belladonna, tiger orchid, incense, apricot, saffron and honey but I can't put my finger on any of these (like I know what belladonna smells like though?!)! After the initial spice and sensual floral, I sense rich fruits like berries and plums. Whatever it is, I know I really like it! The scent is long lasting and layering it with the matching body lotion just adds to the depth - yum!


I am in awe of the Fame body lotion, it has that immediate 'OOOOH!' factor that store SA's dream of! It's not the most moisturising cream in the world (like most scented lotions I guess) but it does have the added novelty of being a BLACK cream that disappears on the skin! *insert RPatz WTF face here* I defy you to not make the OOOOH! noise on first application. It definitely has more style over substance but you'd be buying it for the scent more than it's skin conditioning qualities I'd imagine so hey ho, let's enjoy the crazy colour goodness! ;)

Overall, good work Mother Monster, paws up for Fame and long may Haus Laboratories cater to Gaga's dream of helping us all smell as free as our hair!

J - Obsessively opposed to the typical.

Girls Who Love Boys . . .

I am becoming increasingly obsessed with the Mens sections of many high street stores, it's not really something I've ever gone in for before but now I find myself in every nook and cranny of River Island, which is my current fave haunt for the boys boys boys! Swinging both ways makes for an exhausting window shop but I have found some pretty amazing things for us girlies. Check it out . . .

Green Farm Scene Jumper, £38 - River Island. Oo-arrrrrr (chews straw). Oversize it, and this would be so cute with leather shorts, tights and boots this winter!


Brown Live Fast Die Young Belt, £18 - River Island. Bad Girls Do It Well. Or better as this could prove ;)

Grey Snakeskin Sid Stretch Skinny jeans, £35 - River Island. Who doesn't love a boyfriend jean, but patterns on the style tend to be limited on our side of the tracks, so go in for the real thing! You'd be surprised how small their jeans can run, and between us, the more 'way out' patterns like these can often be found in the sale section just waiting for a wily gal to give them a good home. Personally, I think these are just begging to be ripped up around the knees, come to mama . . .


Brown Stars And Stripes Wristbands (2 pack), £7 - River Island. These remind me of Ke$ha's whole dirty cowgirl look (which I love by the way!), get on my dainty girl wrist now!


Black Dog Bite Print Tshirt, £14 - River Island. Oversize it, take the sleeves off and get yourself a Givenchy Rottweiler look for approximately 7% of the designer price tag ;)


So what do you think? Do you often shop in the mens section? What's your fave place? Share with us!

J - Boys. Sometimes a girl just needs one. And his wardrobe.

Outfit Post: Embracing Autumn ft Tribeca Shoes!

Autumn is coming, hurrah! After yesterday's A/W inspiration post, I figured I'd take the plunge & wear my first Autumn-ready outfit.


I absolutely love this skater dress from Topshop. It was only £20 so I decided to buy it in black as well. This yummy Aubergine (I think!) colour has sold out online which further proves you have to snap something up while you see it.


I've paired it with my new floppy wool hat (£8) from Matalan, studded Topshop belt & my most worn jewelz.


My tights are House of Holland's Mesh Super Suspender, originally £12 but I paid £4 from TK Maxx. I've just discovered they're only £3.60 at Debenhams so go grab them if you like them!


I can't afford Lita's (I wish I was J), so these Hannah Leather Shoe Boots (£25) from Tribeca Shoes are a great alternative. I don't tend to buy expensive shoes anyway because I usually scuff them so these are perfect for me!


They are so much nicer than a lot of faux Lita's and dare I say it, I can actually walk in these. Tribeca have fab customer service and I now have my eyes on their bargain Dr Marten style boots.

What do you guys think, am I giving up on Summer too early?

T - So long Summer, see you next year! XoX

Rawr Girls Can't Wait For Autumn/Winter!

Okay we know this sounds wrong, really wrong, BUT we can't wait for A/W. We've already started buying new bits and pieces for the colder months & we just want to wear them, like now.

So what if we're a month or two early, there are a few select pieces we've been thinking about that will be perfect additions to our A/W wardrobe. Check them out...

Vest
Burger + Friends Vest (£23) from studdedandstoned.co.uk

Jacket
Women's Double Collar Biker Jacket (£225) from IL2L.com

Hat
Pork Pie Hat (£25) from topshop.com

Rucksack
Studded Pocket Rucksack (£48) from urbanoutfitters.co.uk

Dr Martens
Classics 1490z (£80) from cloggs.co.uk

Necklace
Silver Hummingbird Necklace (£115) by Alex Monroe from liberty.co.uk

Skinny Jeans
Victoria Beckham VB41 in Plum (£145) from miminoor.com

We drrrrooooool. Are we alone in wishing Summer would properly end? Or are you also excited for A/W? We'd love for you to share your A/W picks with us if you're ready for knits & hats too!

J & T - We've showed you ours, time to show us yours! ;) XoX

Rawrgirls Review . . . GOSH BB Cream!

I have been slow to jump on the BB cream train, mainly because even at this age I still suffer from spots and imperfections so I doubted their ability in terms of coverage. Anyhooooooo, along came GOSH with their new BB, and seeing as I swear by their cream blush, I decided to give it a pop!


Titled as an 'All In One Foundation, Primer, Moisturizer', this product boasts of colour adapt technology, water resistance, is loaded with 'good for your skin' ingredients and a handy SPF15.

I chose shade 03 Warm Beige, and I was spot on first time. I wasn't having a particularly good skin day on Friday when I first tried it but I felt good enough to wear it alone, no foundation on top, and just a touch of concealer and cream blush. It went on really evenly, leaving a fresh and dewy look to my skin, and it lasted! I went shopping all day and got rained on (boooo!) yet my skin passed the sun visor mirror test on the way home. Converted!

The GOSH BB Cream comes in 5 adaptive shades and is in all good Superdrug stores now, at around £7.99 :)

J - Oh my GOSH.

Victoria's Secret Comes To The UK!

A few weeks ago the first UK Victoria's Secret opened at Westfield, Stratford! I've been waiting YEARS (5 to be exact) for it to hit our shores so was extremely excited when the first store finally opened. Living in Bristol *sigh*, I couldn't rock up the day after its opening, so frantically searched the interwebz for blog posts about it and found, well...not much at all.

Worth the wait? I say yessir!

I felt seriously let down by the London fashion bloggers (shame on you!) so waited 3 long weeks and made the much anticipated trip to Westfield. SQUEEEEEE. First impressions, uh-mazing. Just look at the windows!

Look closely & you can see what I was wearing ;)

I practically ran in & desperately tried to locate their PINK range. I was quickly distracted by a million bras & undies, talk about spoilt for choice! It's a smallish store, which also stocks their beauty range but I didn't even glance at that, it was all about the lingerie & loungewear for me.

So pretty.

It didn't take long for me to discover there was no PINK instore. Ummm!? I wanted a refund. My wardrobe is full of PINK loungewear, I won't wear anything else (except perhaps Abercrombie) & that's what I was there to buy! After the disappointment had sunk in, I made it my new mission to find the cutest lingerie set.

I choose you.

I decided on this gorgeous cherry blossom bra & knickers set. It wasn't cheap, the bra cost £49.50 & the knickers were £16. I don't mind paying that little bit more to get something special but I was a bit miffed when I realised the bra is only $52 in the US. Churz.


I need more PINK...

Although I was super happy with my purchase (I did get a free tote), I was disappointed by their sizing. A lot of their undies are one size only. Now this is probably okay if you're a 12, because that's basically what it is. For me (size 8) they were huge! I couldn't buy any nice thongs because they would've been baggy. The same goes for their knickers, the smallest they do is a small, which is a size 10. Again, not cool if you're an 8! They are a bit big on me but I wanted a set so just got them. I was told they only had XS's in 2 styles (only 2!?) but those styles were a bit meh.

In conclusion, I can't wait for the Bond St store! Victoria's Secret has confirmed to me it will carry the PINK range - phew. I also hope they'll have a bit more choice & perhaps they'll stock the XS's that exist online...A girl can hope.

T - Will forever keep Victoria's Secret! XoX

New Look #HolidayHop Competition...Ibiza Style!

The rather adorable Daisybutter has teamed up New Look to offer 4 lucky bloggers the chance to win a whole ton of summer clothing. To win, all you have to do is create a wardrobe you'd take with you for a weekend in Ibiza. You need to plan 5 outfits for 5 occasions. Check out what I came up with:

Travel Style


Red Jersey Skater Dress - Animal Print Faux Fur Plimsoll - Silver Peace Necklace and Earrings Set


Beach it.


Ombre Bikini Top + Briefs - Trilby Hat - Nia Sunglasses - Metal Vamp Sandals


Sunset Supper


AX Paris Dip Hem Dress - Blink Glitter Party Clutch - Metal Vamp Sandals


Poolside


Tokyo Doll Pleated Maxi - Gold Cage Cuff - Orange Cut Out Swimsuit


Beach to Club


AX Paris Belted Playsuit - Multi Strap Sandals - Kandee Kali Leopard Boots - Spike Wrist Cuff
So there you have it, my final 5 outfits & all for under £400! As a seasoned traveller I know the importance of packing light & choosing the right things. So many of the pieces I've chosen would work well together for other occasions too! For more information on this amazing competition, be sure to check out Daisybutter's blog post.

P.S Please let me know what you think of my choices.

T - WOAH, we're going to Ibiza! XoX

Saturday Style - Rawr Girl in London!

This weekend I'm in LAAAAANDAN! It's been pretty busy so far, I went to Westfield Stratford yesterday which was manic (& amazing). Today I have to get my bridesmaid dress fitted but figured I could sneak in a super quick outfit post.


I'm wearing a bird print Glamorous dress which was given to me by the amazing @Browniekins, just because she's sweet like that. I really like it, I think it's so cute & flirty! I've paired it with my bargain leather bracelet from Accessorize (£1) & my trusty Matalan sandals.


It's so gloriously sunny down here. I'm really excited about seeing the Olympic closing ceremony tomorrow, I can't wait to see which celebs turn up. I have been shopping A LOT so will definitely post more about that when I'm home, I've even been to Victoria's Secret...Eeek!


Is everyone having a nice weekend? We're having a family BBQ tonight which should be good. I hope you're enjoying the weather too!

T - Wannabe London Bird. XoX

miadidas Customisers - Fred Butler

Gotta love everything about this video from the Adidas 'miadidas Customisers' campaign; a cool blogger, epic customising, our Olympics and of course, our Stella ;)



The 'miadidas Customisers' project was based at the Adidas Olympic Lounge in Stratford and featured some of the UK's biggest design talents.

Fred Butler, a props and accessories designer (she has worked with Lady Gaga!) and blogger, is shown here customising a pair of red adizero Prime SP sprinting spikes, using the material from gymnast Louis Smith's Team GB Stella McCartney Adidas kit in the design.


Yup, Fred looks pleased with herself, as she should! I love playing around with miadidas, but doing it in real life, in real time and with real materials, would just be awesome. Good work Fred!

J - Off to cut up BF's Mexico shirt to stick onto his F50's.

Desigual x Monsieur C. Lacroix Rainbow L - Baroque Means Business For AW12!

We have totally fallen for the heavily patterned trousers coming through for the new season, they make a welcome change to the flat pastels and ditsy specks of summer, and the new L collection from Desigual and Lacroix (sweedie!) has made us go all giddy for powerful prints!

The L line captures the memory of a timeless and baroque repertoire (be prepared for 'baroque' to transform into a magic word this season), with prints inspired by eighteenth century upholstery, oriental designs and floral touches. Check out these trousers, hitting Desigual at £104 each soon . . .




The last pair are my fave, quietly fierce :) Can you imagine these with an Equipment style shirt (stares jealously at Tara's!) and a pair of chunky heeled boots (she stares back at my Lita's!)? I'm salivating at my own fashion thoughts here.

Keep an eye on Desigual for the release of Desigual x Monsieur C. Lacroix because these bad boys won't be around for long!

J - Baroque-ing out.