Tara's 2014 Outfit Posts Picks!

Wednesday 31 December 2014

16 comments
Following on from Jade's 2014 fashion round-up, today I'm sharing a selection of my top outfit posts from the past year! I decided to showcase my most popular posts of the year and I'm glad that you guys seemed to agree with some of my personal favourites.

2014 was certainly the year of the fedora, my collection continues to grow (I bought another last week) and I'm rarely seen without a hat on. Upon reflection, I wore a lot of black. I found myself reaching for a pair of black skinnies on my days off, unless the sun was shining in which case I was most likely sporting a pretty maxi dress



Believe it or not, my most popular outfit post of the year was this one in April! I definitely need to wear those awesome Nike Air Pegasus 30 running shoes more often. I rocked a lot of maxi kimonos (many of which never made it to the blog), ankle boots and block sandals. I experimented with many of the trends of 2014 but stayed true to my boho/grunge roots.


Although it's almost impossible to pick an *absolute favourite* ootd, I think June and July's top posts were two of my most loved Summery looks and September and October's styles were perfect for when the temperature dropped...Would you agree?

Thank you for all your love and support over the past year, your comments genuinely make my day. If only I could squeeze every one of you to say thanks! From both Jade and I, we wish you all a happy new year

Which of these looks is your favourite? Are there any styles you'd like to see more of?

T - Tempted to recycle some of these outfits. ;)
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Jade's 2014 Outfit Posts Picks!

Monday 29 December 2014

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Can you believe how fast 2014 has gone? Okay, so it's probably gone just as fast as they usually do but this year seems to have flown by so quickly that I can barely remember what I wore. Cue the round up! . . .

Early 2014 had me wearing a lot of blue and grey, mainly because I was still in the throes of love with my blueberry Doc's and black leather biker so my colour wheel revolved around them. I think I was probably at my most adventurous January to March this year, trying looks that aren't my usual go to's such as smock and maxi dresses. 

SS14 saw the legs coming out, with the (fake) tan peaking in May along with the heat. Summer fashion and I don't get along really. I don't do arms, so I don't do vests. I don't do toes, so I don't do sandals. I don't do tummies, so I don't do cropped tops. Therefore, I spent most of it in a simple dress or shorts with a cover up of some sort wishing it would all go away to be perfectly honest. I am most definitely the Grinch of summertime. 



The latter half of the summer brought the old me back. I usually play with trends but my heart lies with a good old fashioned street look and three of my fave basics this year were my leather joggers, ripped knee skinnies and Zoe Karssen bat pants which are all perfect seasonal transition pieces that saw Grinchey me through to September, as we all started to cool off.

And finally, AW14 came around. You may have noticed that I went outfit post AWOL for a lot of it. Weirdly, I wasn't feeling very fashion. Luckily for me, Tara is ALWAYS feeling a bit fashion so I was able to take a back seat while she ran the show. I usually blossom in the colder months but this year I couldn't find my voice in the new trends (yes, I have a blanket wrap, but no, I can't wrap it for SHIZZ!) and therefore spent a lot of my time in last year's wardrobe which was good for my wallet but not good for our blog! However, there were a few gems worthy of a show and tell such as the arrival of a new Lulu Guinness bag, the wonderful Little Black Dress and a nifty little Wildfox and Timberland number, which was the last of my 2014 looks.



Okay, so this is a tad Jerry Maguire mission statement of me but I don't know, maybe it's my age now? I remember being in my late teens/early 20's and thinking hmm, when will I stop caring about clothes in favour of world affairs and a glass of Pinot? And having this idea of your mid-thirties being THAT dreaded age. Now I'm there I can definitely say that I do still care very much about clothes, VERY MUCH, but I do now find myself less willing to experiment with trends. I spend less money on fast fashion and prefer to wait and save for that big ticket item. I'm cleaning out my closet and wishing there were more expensive, classic pieces in there instead of the 9200 things that I bought in a whim because they were on sale. OH MY FASHION LIFE. How cruel you are!

I'd also like to point out something I've just noticed, that aside from a brief dalliance with a very short fringe in early summer, my hair has been the same length and style all year round. I may as well collect my pension now *CRIES*. 

How has your 2014 style year been? Did you wrestle with fashion like me or find some new fave trends that will stick with you into 2015? 

Thanks for sticking with us this year guys, every one of you means so much to us :)

J - Quarter and a bit fashion life crisis.
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The Dressing Room Sale Preview! #drsale

Wednesday 24 December 2014

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AS IF Christmas is tomorrow! If you're anything like me you've been buying your final presents today and and trying to sort everything ready for tomorrow. Lots of Christmas sales started this morning and I've already started mentally spending my Christmas cash. However, quite a few stores will be launching their Christmas sales tomorrow, including The Dressing Room!

Last week I was sent a couple of items to try on and style as part of their blogger sale preview feature. If you can't wait to find out what's going to be on sale, feast your eyes on these rawrsome pieces which will be reduced...


The Dressing Room Christmas Sale
Unreal Fur Sale UK
Unreal Fur Wanderlust Coat in Black: Was £199 Sale price: £135

I've been a huge fan of Unreal Fur since it launched at The Dressing Room in 2013, and even interviewed the designer behind the ethical brand. The faux fur is of extremely high quality and is the softest thing I've ever touched. It's a truly beautiful piece and well worth the price tag. I'm wearing the size small which is the perfect fit for me. Isn't it gorgeous!?


Unreal Fur Wanderlust Coat
Twisted Muse Florence Top
  Twisted Muse Florence Long Sleeved Top in Maroon - Was: £56 Sale price: £30

This classic t-shirt is by British brand, Twisted Muse. It has an awesome oversized fit and cute pocket detail. I'm always wearing long sleeved tees during Autumn/Winter so this piece would easily see me through to March. I'm wearing the XS so suggest you size down if you like a tighter fitting t-shirt.

I was also sent a lovely American Vintage Tulsa Dress in Port Tiger to style, but sadly the Winter light faded before I could get some photos. I must say it has the most flattering cut, I tried it on at home with a skinny waisted belt, opaque tights with some biker boots. It Was: £91 Sale price: £60.

The Dressing Room sale starts online on Christmas day and instore on 27th December 2014. If you're an online shopper,
check your inbox on Saturday morning for an exclusive time limited code! The first 20 customers instore on Saturday will receive an extra 10% off the sale! Bargain.

Will you be shopping this sale? Please leave a comment below if you plan to buy something and HAPPY CHRISTMAS from us at Rawr Towers! <3

T - Excited to snap up some bargains.
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Phase Eight Advent Calendar Day 23 - Win a Dina Bag!

Tuesday 23 December 2014

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We're excited to confirm that today we're taking part in day 23 of Phase Eight's Advent Calendar and giving YOU the chance to win one of their beautiful Dina bags! If you haven't heard of Phase Eight, they're a sophisticated British brand who offer lovely occasion wear dresses, accessories and even bridalwear. Their red carpet worthy dresses have been seen on several British stars including Pippa Middleton.

Dina Clutch BagThis clutch would be perfect for a New Year's Eve party or any sparkly occasion, we just love the embellishment. Check out how it's been styled in the below photo, it looks so elegant!

Phase Eight Dina Clutch
If you fancy getting your paws on this stylish Dina clutch bag, simply follow the easy instructions below:

Head to Twitter, follow @TheStyleRawr and @Phase_Eight, retweet our competition tweet and reply our competition tweet (including @Phase_Eight) with the hashtag #PhaseEightAdvent. The competition is only open from 12am until 11.59pm today, 23rd December 2014. You can tweet more than once, but each tweet must be unique.

This competition is only open to UK residents over 18 and the full T&C's can be found here. The winner will be selected at random and announced via our Twitter account on 24th December 2014.

GOOD LUCK! Leave us a comment below if you've entered. :) x
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L.A.M.B by Gwen Stefani + The Bristol Harbourside!

Monday 22 December 2014

17 comments
About once a year I whip out my favourite coat of all time, this beautiful L.A.M.B. belted trench coat by Gwen Stefani. It was part of her Fall 2004 collection and I managed to buy it 2 years later from an American 'Lambie'. I had it shortened to a more flattering length and it's possibly my favourite piece in my wardrobe.

I threw this ensemble on in a few minutes (I always find my favourite outfits are those I don't think about) and headed for a stroll around the Bristol harbourside. Inside my coat pocket I found two rings which had been missing for the past year...Go figure!

I really miss buying L.A.M.B., the 2004, 2005 and 2006 collections were definitely the best and I'd still buy tons from those seasons if I could get my mitts on them! I've never loved a brand more than LAMB, my Wildfox obsession is a close second but the quality doesn't compare. My most cherished pieces are by them and Jade & I met via our love of L.A.M.B. on a Livejournal forum...*NERD ALERT*. Gwen Stefani brought us together.
 
Primark Fedora
Gwen Stefani Wool Coat
L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stefani Belted Trench Coat
Bristol Winter Style
Winter Tartan CoatG-Star Steed Bazaar Boots
Bristol Street Style Fashion Coat: L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stefani (Fall '04) - Stole: Topshop - Hat: Primark - Jeans: Oasis - Boots: G-Star

When I win the Euromillions, I'm going to buy a house on the Bristol harbour so I just have to step outside my door to take my blog photos. My rawrsome Steed Bazaar boots are by G-Star, their footwear is incredible, the fit is just fantastic and I like that their styles have a designer quality to them.

Do you have a favourite coat? Have you heard of L.A.M.B?

T - Forever a British 'Lambie'.
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Britney Spears Professional Haircare at Lidl! #LidlSurprises indeed!

Thursday 18 December 2014

6 comments
We ADORE honorary Rawrgirl Britney Spears and she can do no wrong in our eyes, so it is with great intrigue that we seek to investigate her range of Britney Spears Professional Haircare, which should be hitting our local Lidl stores today with prices starting at a pop princess hair flipping £1.99!

Images c/o the Lidl Offers page, but it's too good not to share so we hope they won't mind!

Britney Spears Professional Haircare at Lidl
Britney Spears Professional Haircare at Lidl
Britney Spears Professional Haircare at Lidl

The hairbrushes are £1.99 each girls - £1.99?! You couldn't even buy I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman on cd single for £1.99 back in the day, but now you can nab a *piece of* (geddit?!) Brit for just a couple of coins! Other items in the range are various electrical hair stylers ranging from £4.99 to £11.99, and as superfans we pretty much only care that the line has Britney's name on it and an easy on the eye black and gold finish to be honest, but with a pretty impressive 3 year warranty on each piece you have to admit that both Brit and Lidl must be confident in their performance so hey, we're in!

This may be worth an early morning pre-work visit to our local Lidl stores, with a week to go until Christmas and such low low prices you can be sure that these will not hang around so if you want one, you better work bitch! 

J - Slave 4 Brit!
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Swarovski Christmas Perfect Gift Collection! #SwarovskiPerfectGift

Monday 15 December 2014

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AS IF Christmas is only 10 days away. Waaaah! If you're still looking for gift ideas, Rawr faves Swarovski have recently launched their Perfect Gift collection... You may have already spotted their Christmas advert on TV starring the beautiful Miranda Kerr!

As an extra special Christmas treat, our friends at Swarovski sent Jade and I a sparkly parcel full of jewellery pieces for the festive season. As we're both huge Swarovski fangirls, it took less than 60 seconds for us to bling ourselves up with our new jewels! Cue lots of sparkly snaps...

Swarovski Tennis Bracelet
Miranda Kerr Crystal Earrings
The standout piece for me is the Baron Pierced earrings, Miranda Kerr is sporting them in the Christmas campaign and I fell in love with them as soon as I opened the box. They have a slight blue hue and look even more incredible when they catch the light. They will be perfect for wearing on Christmas day with my new frock! They could be my favourite Swarovski piece of all time. I KNOW.

I also adore this simple but lovely tennis bracelet, as seen in the first photograph. It's a classic Swarovski piece - understated but the kind of bracelet you can wear with any outfit. This really is the perfect gift.

Bristol Swarovski
Swarovsi Perfect Gift
Black Swarovski Stardust Collection
Bourne OTK Boots
Swarovski Baron Pierced EarringsCoat & Jeans: Oasis - Boots: Bourne - Hat: Accessorize - Bracelets & Earrings: Swarovski (c/o)

I've started to wear Swarovski on a daily basis as it helps add a bit of sparkle to my working day! I'm always wearing a slake leather bracelet or a stardust bracelet like this rawrsome black one (available in 8 colours) because it's just so easy to wear. I might invest in some more of them when it's my birthday in January! A girl can never have too many. ;)

Which of these jewellery pieces is your favourite? Have you spotted the Miranda Kerr Perfect Gift campaign?

T - Sparkleholic.
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Weekend #OOTD With Timberland!

Saturday 13 December 2014

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When I think of Timberland I used to imagine the iconic nubuck boots my man has, J-Lo in her heeled Timb style Manolo's and checked shirts and waterproofs, certainly not beautiful leather accessories like this beaut Timberland Parkside Tote Bag! When Timberland got in touch and asked us if we wanted to choose something online as a gift, I initially thought YES, matching boots Bey and Jay style with Timmy, until I decided to explore the Accessories department online. Seriously guys, THE BAGS, OH THE BAGS! Soft and supple leather totes in bright yellow, chic navy blue and classic tan and greys. They're not cheap with prices starting at £140 but hey, you're on the Timberland online store here so let's face it, you weren't expecting fast fashion right, you're here for quality and tradition? The Parkside is £200 but I was considering investing in a good leather bag anyway and £200 would probably only buy me half of one of a similar size from the brands I was shortlisting, so it's all good up in this hood. To the outfit! . . .

Outfit: Jumper - Wildfox, Shirt - House Of Fraser, Jeans - Wildfox, Boots - Jeffrey Campbell, Bag - c/o Timberland, Necklace - Mi Moneda, Watch - Daniel Wellington.

The style rawr outfit post jeffrey campbell timberland wildfox blogger

It's the perfect size for what I was looking for, a shopping bag that I could carry my purse, phone and camera in, whilst at the same time popping in those small purchases that come in teeny carrier bags. The leather is unbelievably soft and touchable, I love the slightly tarnished look too. I think it looks a touch more casual than polished leather, especially in this gorgeous tan colour. It's also very lightweight considering the size, and inside you'll find a simple preppy striped lining and interior pockets, all wrapped up with a concealed zipper all the way across the opening for security. 

the style rawr outfit post wildfox timberland jeffrey campbell

I love the little logo to the lower edge of the bag, so discreet yet still noticeable to the trained eye ;) I've already had several friends say how much they love my new bag, quickly followed by a 'Oh, is it Timberland, I didn't even know they did women's bags?!' once they notice the stamp! I think we're so conditioned to associating brands with certain products that we close ourselves off to investigating what else they might do? We're sure as hell missing out though!

Timberland bag Jeffrey campbell cat lita boots

This bag matches my JC cat Lita's perfectly, purrrfect partners! I think these are now in their 3rd or 4th year with me, I can't remember to be honest but they're testimony to enduring style and even though the Lita is a tad out of favour now, it just shows that buying an 'It' style in a pattern that means a lot to you can make the pounds per wear go a hell of a lot further! Now I have this bag to set them off you'll be seeing as much of these babies in 2014/2015 as you did in 2011/2012! 

Happy weekend everyone, link me to what you're wearing!

J - I'm yelling TIMBERRRRRR!
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Scotts Menswear: Christmas Gift Ideas for Stylish Men!

Thursday 11 December 2014

8 comments
I spent last Sunday hanging out with friends, buying Christmas gifts and wrapping! I love wrapping gifts while listening to a bit of Bublé, it makes me feel and Christmassy and puts me in a great mood. Unlike Jade (who bought all of her pressies MONTHS ago), I still have a lot of presents left to buy. Funnily enough, I always struggle to gift the same people... the MEN in my life.

Buying gifts for men is tough work but there are a few options. Do you attempt to buy gadgets? Try to find a humourous gift? Chicken out and opt for a gift card? OR, my personal favourite, buy them something to wear? I think shopping for my bae is pretty easy, he has a great sense of style (Exhibit A) and after 10 years together, I've pretty much worked out his likes and dislikes. This year I'm giving him a mixture of fashionable and unusual gifts, including this really smart polo shirt by Aquascutum.

Christmas Wreath UK Door
Aquascutum Scotts Menswear Review
Christmas Gifts for Stylish Men
Christmas 2014
Aquascutum shirt: (c/o)

He won't touch anything with a visible logo, but this understated jersey long sleeved polo shirt by Aquascutum is right up his street. It's fantastic quality and looks as if it run true to size. He doesn't own anything else by them so I just know he'll love this classic, British brand... I'm convinced it's spot on! It is a little more expensive than something you'd get in a high street store, but I'm hoping he'll get a good few years wear out of it as I believe in quality over quantity!

Do you struggle to buy presents for men? What have you bought the men in your life for Christmas?

T - Totally nailed it.
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The Little Black Dress Collection - Audrey Dress!

Monday 8 December 2014

17 comments
Tis' the season to dress for parties, fa la la la laaaaa, la la la laaaaa! It wouldn't be Christmas without the acquisition of a new LBD, and Tara and I were lucky enough to be gifted one each from the amazing Little Black Dress who have recently launched the Little Black Dress Collection, inspired by icons and designed for today's fashionista, fusing together classic styles with contemporary features. Each dress is based on a recognisable style from fashion history, with a few little twists to ramp them up for us modern gals. It was hard to choose a fave because I was totally torn between the 'Jade' (obvio) - an update on the heady disco look of Jade Jagger, and the 'Taylor' - a beautiful feminine dropped waist style that could've been taken straight from TSwizzle's closet, but my eye always came back to Audrey. Call it a fatal attraction to feathers (and cuteness) but I knew that the figure hugging fluffiness would make a lifelong addition to my party wardrobe and as Ms Hepburn proved, a classic LBD never goes out of style!

Outfit: Dress - c/o Little Black Dress, Jacket - Pull & Bear, Boots - Dorothy Perkins, Bag - 1951 Maison Francaise at The Dressing Room.

Audrey Hepburn Little Black Dress

The listing advises that you size up as the dress is tight fitting, so I did and this is a UK14, but I'm so glad I took the advice. It fastens with a sturdy concealed zip at the back and is very snug up top once on and for this reason I'm not wearing a bra (how very daring of me), but it fits perfectly in the waist and hips. I would've preferred it a little looser on the top (just because my cleavage is the bane of my fashion life tbh) but there's no way I could've sized up to a 16. I think my bust is pulling the length up a little because the model on the listing is 5'9, yet the gorgeous feather hem hits at the same place on our legs and I'm only 5'4. Goddamn boobs. Regardless, it still looks hot ;)

The Audrey dress is cut from a crepe material, and although it's fairly opaque, it's still fully lined which is so nice to see. If you mainly shop fast fashion you forget how important a good lining can be on a tight dress and it makes all the difference. It's details like this, the concealed zip, clever pleating at the bust and gently boned ostrich feather hemline that makes this dress stand out as a quality design. 

I love how it brings out the glamour girl in me, I develop a wiggle and the feathers make me shimmy - definitely the signs of a good LBD match!

Audrey Hepburn Little Black Dress

I'm not a girly girl at all, so you were never going to get this paired with a polite pashmina and peeptoes. Unless it's a summer event and I can go coverup-less, I will always grab a leather jacket and booties when accessorising a dress. I just love how the sleek cut of this style with all the attention seeking at the hem means I can happily throw on my leather without hiding the dress itself. You can guarantee that it will still turn heads even when you're standing around waiting for a taxi at 2am. This is my idea of how a modern Holly Golightly would dress for a night on the town in New York, and I think it totally works for me too!

How would you style this dress? Check out the rest of The Little Black Dress Collection and tell me which one you would choose?

J - I'll never let anybody put me in a cage!


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Mr Candle Review: Made in Bristol!

Saturday 6 December 2014

20 comments
I love candles as much as the next person, but there are a few reasons why I think Mr Candle's soy candles are far superior to the others on the market! First of all, they're made in Bristol. As a Bristolian blogger I love repping Bristol-born brands, especially when they're as special as this one.

They only use earth grown soybeans to create their candles so they don't contain any petroleum, paraffin or beeswax. Not only are they free of nasties, the candles are guaranteed to burn for longer! The fragrance oils they use are of the highest quality and provide strong and delicious scents. I opted for 'Cinnamon Spice' and it's genuinely one of the nicest cinnamon candles I've ever burned.

Mr Candle Bristol Soy Candle Review
Mr Candle Cinnamon Spice
Mr. Candle Soy Candle in Cinnamon Spice: (c/o)

Each candle comes with a hidden surprise inside...a ring! You burn your candle for about 2.5 hours to reveal a foil wrapper and when you open it you'll find your sparkly treat inside. The rings range in price from £10 - £500 (and are usually between the sizes of L - P) and I was extremely chuffed when I opened mine! If your ring is worth over £100, you'll find it in a gold plastic wallet. Mine wasn't in a gold bag but it is sterling silver and I absolutely love it. Here is a close up snap I took of it:
Ring Inside Candle UK

I've received several compliments on my ring already and I'm tempted to order another one just to see which ring I'll get next! I would definitely say these candles are worth their £20 price tag, the candle jar is massive - much bigger than the Flamingo Candles. If Cinnamon Spice isn't for you, they have another 3 scents available, Vanilla Dream, Vintage Rose, Lucky Lavender and Cinnamon Spice! This would make a fantastic gift, it's basically a 2-in-1 present. 

£1 from every candle sold goes also goes to Mr Candle's chosen charity, CLIC Sargent. Guilt-free shopping is the best.

Have you heard of Mr Candle? Would you buy this for someone?

T - Loves her new bling!
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Win A Years Supply Of Shoes with Dorothy Perkins! #DPShoeSelfie #MyDorothyMoment

Thursday 4 December 2014

7 comments
Who doesn't love the idea of winning a years supply of shoes? Well Dorothy Perkins are giving us the chance to do just that with their latest competition, so it would be rude not to enter right?! 

To enter all you have to do is post a pic on Twitter or Instagram of you wearing your fave DP shoes, new or old, tagging your entries with #DPShoeSelfie and #MyDorothyMoment and @official_dorothyperkins on Instagram, or @dorothy_perkins on Twitter . . . 


My #DPShoeSelfie will be a bit of a glam #MyDorothyMoment featuring my new Dorothy Perkins black satin shoe boots and a hot LBD - a sneak peek of an outfit that will be on the blog next week! These boots are the perfect accompaniment to a little black dress because they're super sleek and chic, so as you can see, I can go hell for feathers elsewhere!

Wolford Baloo Tights Black Satin Boots Little Black Dress Audrey
Wolford Baloo Tights Black Satin Boots
Boots - c/o Dorothy Perkins, Tights - Wolford, Dress - Little Black Dress

These boots also come in navy, but I love the classic black. They can instantly glam an everyday look up (think boyfriend jeans, simple tee and scarf combo), or like here, totally finish off an uber glam evening look with discreet class. 

We hope this has inspired you to upload your pic, from the side or from above, as long as they're DP then you're in with a chance! Good luck!

J  xoxo
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SS15 Crystal Gardens Sparkles from Swarovski!

Wednesday 3 December 2014

12 comments
A few weeks ago, I attended the SS15 Swarovski Press Day in London! It was so lovely to meet the PR team behind the brand and take a sneak peek at the new collections coming out next year. Both Jade and I love Swarovski, there's just something so special about their sparkly pieces. 

Next season will see lots of wonderful, bright new colours across their collections, my favourite being the slake leather wrap bracelets and their stardust pieces. SWOON.


SS15 Swarovski Collection
Spring Summer Swarovski Stardust Bracelets
Swarovski Statement Necklace
Swarovski Crystal Gardens Collection
Stardust SS15 Collection
Swarovski Knot NecklaceSwarovski Crystal Gardens Press DayCrystal Gardens SwarovskiPhotos by Steph of FAIIINT and I.

I attended with uber babe Steph of FAIIINT and we had lots of fun in the Swarovski sparkly photo booth while sipping on bubbles! We tried on some of our favourite blingy pieces and drooled all over the Spring/Summer goodies.

I'll definitely be wearing lots of Swarovski this party season, I was wearing one of my bracelets last week when a lovely old lady stopped me to ask if was from Swarovski! Turns out she's a mega fan and we started talking about our favourite colours in the slake wraps. Too cute.

Do you shop at Swarovski? Do you have a favourite piece from the SS15 Crystal Gardens collection?

T- Adding sparkles to my Christmas list.



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