Personality and Attitude

There's something about Uncommonly Beautiful jewellery that I think we can all agree with. IT ROCKS! 

It's not hard to see that the new collection adds personality and lots of attitude to any outfit. These bold pieces not only transforms an outfit it brings kick ass to the forefront!

J'adore!

Nyla Sammons

One for One

As a huge fan of Toms, like many of us are, I was super excited to see Toms' interactive stand at The Other Art Fair on Thursday! Now until the 27th of November they are running a one for one competition, where you can get creative and and design your own shoe!

The lucky winner will get their own personal designed shoe by Spring 2012! Toms anyone? Yes please!

Nyla Sammons

Lego Lust

I know it's a little early to send Santa requests and in fact I don't actually own any double cuff shirts but my golly do I want not one but all three of these lego cufflinks!!!

They are handmade from vintage and secondhand lego pieces! And what I love the most is that you can request mixed colours from Fashion conscience! Anyone fancy one red, one blue? I know I do!

Nyla Sammons

Create and Do

Always thought you could give a shot at being creative by knitting a scarf or making a one off statement necklace then you're going to want to clear your diary and head on down to 'Create and Do' at Bake-a-boo on the 13th of October. You can roll up your sleeves and get involved in a series of workshops, which include a vintage hair and make-up master class, knitting, cake decorating, jewellery making and not forgetting all that yummy tea and cake to indulge in. 

WHEN: Thursday 13th of October, 7pm-9pm

WHERE: Bake-a-boo, 86 Mill Lane, London, NW6 1NL 

WHY: All of the above! It's deffo. my dream day out!

Angela Clayton

This week I'm in Love with.........

Dr. Haushcka is one of those brands that I cannot stop raving about, not only are they natural but they definitely rate in my top three for beauty brands. Why I hear you ask? as yes there are now tons of natural brands filling the shelves of Whole Foods, Boots and even some supermarkets! Simply because their products are divine and effective!

To keep my face hydrated and smooth I use the rose cream, a rich and beautifully scented cream, for those like me with dry skin it's a winner! once applied your skin feels nourished and deeply moisturised, the rose oil extract from wildly grown rose hips envelop the skin to nourish and protect. It comes in at £23.95 (30ml) but if you want to give it a test drive before you buy the 30ml tube you can do, at only £3.50 from the Dr Hauschka website

To keep your hands smooth and moisturised try the Dr Haushcka hand cream for size, the special Bryophyllum extracts hydrate and regenerate the skin while special oils and waxes protect and soothe the hands.

You have got to see why Dr Hauschka are winners in my books!!! visit their website and get testing! 
Nyla Sammons

Pre-Owned Fabulousness

Since the opening of Mary's Living and giving shop for Save The Children last year in Westbourne Grove I have been popping in and out and I know longer want to keep such delights to myself!!! You may have all heard of the shop, I mean come on....... not only has Mary Portas done such an amazing job in raising it's profile but it has to be one of the most fashionable charity shops in London Town! 

Expect to feast your eyes on pre-owned Chanel, Vivienne Westwood, Prada and even your favourite ethical brands, I spotted a pair of Toms shoes along with a few Stella McCartney pieces too, all at a fraction of the price! Ladies treat yourselves to something special, with the knowledge of all profits going to the charity Save The Children with a visit to the Mary's Living & Giving shop in Westbourne Grove or Primrose Hill.

Both shops are always looking for donations, so if you've done a clear out recently, take that abandoned black bag of clothes out of the attic and in the very kind hands of the volunteers at one of the stores. Not only will Mary love you for it, but we will too! You know what they say... one woman's trash is another woman's treasure!

Nyla Sammons

Wear Pink!

It's great to see so many brands getting involved in helping raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness month. I have grouped together my favourite picks, ladies show some love and support and make your purchases count this October! 

Nyla Sammons

Designer Jumble Sale

Former VOGUE.COM editor Abigail Chisman has organised a designer sale with all profits going to Just for Kids Law and other charities supported by DJS. You can get new designer clothes at 50% off or for second hand clothes, between 75 and 90% off. 

It's free entry, head on down this Wednesday to: The Church of the Annunciation, Bryanston street, Marble Arch, W1H 7AH.

Angela Clayton

Time to fly to Butterfly

I headed to the launch of the new Butterfly Boutique last Tuesday and I must say we were all in for a treat, with complementary make-overs and hair styling. Butterfly is a hair and make-up boutique, so just before an important meeting or a night out you can pop into Butterfly and treat yourself to a new you! and the best thing is these ladies are quick on the mark! I got my hair in glamourous curls in less than 15 minutes and got the smokey eye effect in less than 5! Butterfly uses natural make-up by Barbara Boat and the selection of colour available is Brill. 

So next time you need a quick glam-over head on over to Butterfly in St Pauls or Bank, these ladies will rock your world!

Nyla Sammons

Face Mask Heaven

Most face masks can be a little bit blah, which is why I love the LUSH cupcake face masks! Of course being a bit of a chocolate addict I opted for the chocolate cupcake face mask with the divine smell of yummy chocolate! This face mask is a powerful antiseptic that's ideal for problem skin and rhassoul clay which absorbs excess sebum and removes dead skin to leave the face exceptionally clean. 

I have used this face mask twice and must say each time my skin has felt smooth and clean, it's a winner in my books and priced at only £5.50 you can't afford to miss out on! 

LUSH has face masks suitable for all skin types, to have a peek check out their website or pop into one of their shops.  Amazing scents and goodness for us all! Yum! 

Nyla Sammons

A Vintage Treat

Yes vintage lovers, you ladies are in for a treat this Tuesday, where The Gathering Goddess will be opening their doors for you to get your hands on some vintage treasure! 

WHEN: 13th of September 

WHERE: The Alice House, 53-55 Salusbury Road, Queens Park, London, NW6 6NJ

WHY: Every wardrobe deserves a bit of vintage! 

Nyla Sammons

Colour me up!

Yes the weather may not be sunny everyday, but that doesn't mean our outfits need to be drab too! Grab yourself one of these brightly coloured chokers to add a bit of sunshine to your life! 

These chockers are made from upcycled high street store plastic bags, I know who would have thought it.....

Available at Fashionconscience.com at £45 each

Angela Clayton

Ms Castro Rides

For most of us, our Summer holidays have come to an end. It's work at the office as usual and the only thing keeping most of us going is when the next big trip begins! But it's not all doom and gloom, you can tune into fashion stylists Lupe Castro's stylish travel blog, Ms Castro on a Motorbike! 

In July Lupe embarked on an epic journey that has her traveling the world with her very own Mr Big (known to her and well I guess us as Mr P) on the back of a motorbike. A very small compartment at the back of the bike snugly fits all that Lupe can muster in.... make-up, clothes, shoes and accessories and all the other nick nacks we find so precious! 

How does she manage it? it's called 'the love of travelling' check out Lupe's posts on her favourite hotels, inns, restaurants, food festivals and one off boutiques on her new blog - Ms Castro Rides! It's got me hooked...... Where will she be next! Keep us posted Ms Castro! 

Nyla Sammons

Mark the date ladies

Ladies the date is approaching........ where BuyMyWardrobe will be unlocking the golden doors to one of London's best recycling fashion events! Where you can get your hands on preloved designer, vintage and high street gems at 50-70% cheaper! 

BuyMyWardrobe selects 20 stylish ladies to sell the contents of their very fashionable wardrobes, previous events have seen Gucci group executive Mimma Viglezio, Ex-Elle publishing director Elaine Foran and TV personality Giselle Morley.

Want to get in on the action..... tickets are only £5.00 or £20.00 for the VIP ticket, which allows you to shop an hour before everyone else, along with a glass of champagne and a goody bag (sounds good huh!) 

To get your golden ticket, visit the BuyMyWardobe website

WHEN: 3rd of September 

WHERE: Adam Street Members Club, The Strand, London, WC2N 6AA

WHY: Bag yourself some bargains, we love recycling! see you all there!

Nyla Sammons

Learn the secret behind the Bath Ballistics at Lush

No bath is complete without one of those divine fizzing bath ballistics and thanks to the lovely ladies at Lush you can now join in the uber cool master class at Lush in Westfield where you can see how these balls get their fizz! 

Lush pride themselves on buying ingredients only from companies that do not test on animals and not only do they look luscious but they smell just as divine!

WHEN: Friday 26th of August and the 2nd of September

WHERE: At the Lush store in Westfield, London

WHY: Go behind the scenes in seeing how bath ballistics are made! 

Nyla Sammons

Limited Edition T-Shirt

 I can't help but drool over how great Christine Bleakley looks in this uber sexy T-Shirt, and oh yes ladies, you can look just as good in it too!!! Thanks to designer Lianne Miller of the London College of Fashion, who has designed this T-Shirt for Jeans for genes day.

All purchases will help contribute to helping the lives of thousands of children living with genetic disorders in the UK. 

Priced at only £11.99 from the Jeans for Genes Day website - www.jeansforgenesday.com/webshop

Angela Clayton

Summer Brights

Want to inject some colour into your outfit with some boldly coloured bracelets, then you're going to love these bracelets from Manumit, stocked on fashionconscience.com 

There too lush for words and priced at only £14.00 and £15.00 what's not to like!

Angela Clayton

The EFF Launches The Source

There are some fantastic ethical brands out there and what’s even more great is that these ethical brands have organisations like The Ethical Fashion Forum (EFF) for support and advice, the EFF have gone a step forward in launching The Source.

The Source brings together in one place an industry database, an online magazine and the world's first ethical fashion sourcing trade show. This is perfect in saving fashion brands, time and money, whilst integrating sustainability!

The Source includes: the source directory, the source magazine and the source expo. Ethical brands and ethical inspired brands can get access to The Source by paying a membership fee to the ethical fashion forum! You can visit the EFF, to get more info. on the benefits of becoming a member!

Nyla Sammons

Vivienne Westwood Limited Edition Dress

This uber cool dress has been designed by Vivienne Westwood, and what's even more great, it's made from 100 percent fair-trade organic cotton, made by People Tree!

Priced at only £28.00 it's a bargain and for every sale, £7.00 will be donated to the Society for Human Development, which supports the women of the Garo tribe, who live in the Madhupur forest region of Bangladesh.

I can see this being the must-have dress for Summer!
Angela Clayton

Stylist Lupe Castro give's an insight into her world

1. Do tell the ethical heaven readers a little bit about how you got into fashion styling? 

Mmm hard one fashion is just the way I see the world but I guess it was just about hanging out around designers and photographers, being me and always thinking I could do it just a little bit better and seeing the spectacular in everything!

2. Who is the best designer out there today?  
You have to be joking! I fall in love with different designers all the time it’s like a painting one day you’re in zinc with the romantics another the cubists , pop art etc... am going through a upcycling  phase at the moment so it’s got to Junky Styling`s new AW collection , From Somewhere collaboration with Speedo or Debbi little and Christopher Raeburn! Also I think Maria of plastic seconds and Alexandra Abraham are so so pictorial!

3. Briefly tell me about a typical day as a celebrity/wardrobe stylist. 
Well there are never 2 days the same! Sourcing is paramount so a large large cup of strong tea followed by a quick nifty on the web on the lookout for new designers collections then a visit to studios and shops to see the quality and a try out!

4. What’s a great fashion tip that you can share with ethical heaven readers? 
Pick your best feature, it could be arms, legs, face, hair and then really really really work it! 3 seconds is what I reckon anyone has to create an impression so make sure you highlight your best bits FAST!

5. Have you styled any celebrities? 
Mmm yes but am I allowed to say can’t remember but I think its one of those things where the celebs in question have to be the ones to spill the beans!

6. How would you love to style?  
Eclectically and mixing glamour with restraint and quality! But of course a BIG SUPRISE!



7. If you could pick 3 fashion must-haves that every woman should own, what would they be?  
A crisp white shirt! Tailored jacket and a beautiful long sensuous dress! Elena Garcia and Nancy Dee are really superb at the latter!

Need to know more about Lupe Castro, have a look at Lupe's blog (lupecastro.blogspot.com)where you can take a peak at what she's up to!

Nyla Sammons  

Plastic Seconds

I must say coming across Plastic Seconds when I attended the blogges for Japan event was a real treat, not only does the designer Maria Papadimitriou find used quirky pieces to create jewellery, but the colours Maria uses are divine! 

They are perfect for bringing an outfit to life, my all time favourite has to be the necklace made from puzzle pieces, I mean come genius or what!

Above is only a selection, see the Plastic Seconds website to see how far Maria's creativity goes!

Nyla Sammons

Aveda Masterjam!

Going to the Aveda Masterjam was a real treat, not only was it at the luscious Old Billingsgate but it was an amazing night full of beauty, hair styling, fashion and YES oh YES Entertainment!!! We were firstly treated to a sneak preview of the new ranges coming out at the end of the year and their new make-up range. Topped up with drinks and canapes we then headed on down to the catwalk show (Like no other!!!) Why I hear you say?

One word Diversity! Yes we were all treated to a performance from Diversity, I didn't think it was fair that we only got to see it... so I whipped out my camera to record it for you lucky folks! Enjoy :)

The night continued with some great live styling from the Aveda team and a high fashion catwalk show! There is some serious talent within Aveda, I highly recommend you hot foot it down to an Aveda salon when considering your next chop! They are Hot Hot Hot!

Nyla Sammons

Do One Good Thing

The One Foundation could be the easiest way to help third world countries. The idea is so simple. You don’t have to sign up to any monthly donation or fill in any forms. No, all there is to it is buying One products and 100% of the profits goes to the One Foundation projects. (Check out their website to see how they achieve this at www.onedifference.org)

Ideas for the products come from the main issues that need tackling in poorer countries. One bottled water funds water pumps for clean water, One soap and toilet tissue fund sanitation facilities and One condoms fund HIV care. The most recent products to be added to the family are eggs and vital water (water with yummy fruit juice flavours.) These help toward funding vegetable gardens, seed banks and chicken farms.

Another extremely important issue that needs tackling is the prevention of Malaria, which is spread through mosquito bites. This can easily be prevented with mosquito nets so if you think you have an amazing idea for a product that relates to this issue then get involved with The One Foundation by going to www.onedifference.org/contact or post your ideas here!

One products are available at most supermarket chains such as the Co op, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda. So next time you run out of toilet tissue or soap, think about putting One products in your trolly instead and you could be helping someone else in the world. It's as easy as that!

Alanna Skelton

Celebrate Earth Month with Style

It's great to see Aveda teaming up with model and Fairtrade ambassador Laura Bailey, to create two uber stylish limited edition hair accessories for Earth Month. Perfect for creating a gorgeous updo hairstyle! Need tips? just have a look above at the pictures of the stunning Laura Bailey, priced at £15.00 and £25.00

£5.00 from the sale of each clip will be donated to WaterAid, it's easy to do your bit for Aveda Earth Month whilst looking stylish, it's a double whammy ladies! You can get your hands on them at participating Aveda salons, House of Fraser, Liberty and Harrods!

Nyla Sammons

New from Brat and Suzie for Spring/Summer

Summer is getting closer people! Whatever your holiday destination or festival adventure, make sure you’re wearing British label Brat and Suzie’s new SS11 collection!

Known for their illustrative tees and vests, Brat and Suzie have expanded their quirky collection of tops, to include slouchy jumpers, dresses and shorts. The new t-shirts include curved vests, crop tops and racer-backs. Perfect for chilled summer days or to stay cool at a festival. 

Illustrations in this collection feature Brat and Suzie’s cute animals such as all over owls, horses, ducks and dogs riding bicycles. Oh and a punk Chiwawa complete with spiked dog collar. What more could you want?

I can't wait to get my hands on the rabbit print crop top above!

Jumpers - £35

T-shirts - £22 - £25

Available at www.bratandsuzie.com and House of Fraser. 

Alanna Skelton

One Hell of a Show!

 

Images from Amelia's Magazine 

Welcoming us on board pretty hostesses treated us travellers to an amazing Courvoisier Punch that was not as summery as Pims but certainly more delicious! Take off promptly started at 19.30 with the Models pounding the catwalk to music from DJ Hudge,  hair by Declan at Andrew Barton and make up by Green People.

Prompting my neighbor to declare God each one is more beautiful then the other. Definitely not sure whether she meant the models the clothes or just the show as a whole. Peppered by a host of paps, academia, press, artist  and the crème de la crème of Ethical Fashion it was heaving. Spring designs were presented together with the Ju.St limited edition of Autumn Winter 2011 and classic junky styles.

Things I loved and just need to buy were the catuits and playsuits in silk , breeches with bomber jacket bottoms and the better then pringle maxi length dress in red for women!

For the  boys trying to figure out seriously how to woe my man into the all in one catsuit which I love and now comes in a load of different styles and colours they are so sexy! Also Krt jewels recycled glass pieces which are so beautiful and covetable might end up in my section instead.

We were promised special show rate for pieces at the show and believe you me I searched and searched for someone available but reckon was beaten to the post, but I have a list which I am hanging on to! So will be hotfooting to shop this week.

Lupe Castro

The Big Fashion Wardrobe

Westfield London Shopping centre is doing it again! And I'm loving how involved they are getting with raising money for charity! Yesterday Westfield London opened up the Big Fashion Wardrobe, their first ever walk-in wardrobe fashion and beauty event! 

Experience what most girls dream of (me included) a journey into a fashion cupboard, full of clothes and accessories, to getting your hair and make-up done, through to creative fashion writing, modeling for a photo shoot, ending with a fabulous catwalk show! 

Catwalk show times: 

Saturday: 1.30pm, 3pm, 4.30pm and 6pm

Sunday: 12.30pm, 2pm, 3.30pm and 5pm

 

If that wasn't enough, model Daisy Lowe has partnered up with the British Heart Foundation's 'Mending Broken Hearts Appeal' to raise awareness of the heart charity's life-changing project to mend damaged hearts!  

WHEN: Tuesday 29th of March - Sunday 3rd of April

WHERE: Westfield London Shopping Center

WHY: To help raise money for The British Heart Foundation and for the love of fashion! 

Nyla Sammons

Kate Mouse designed by Simeon Farrar

Designer Simeon Farrar is doing his bit for the charity Save the Children, with the use of his ‘Kate Mouse’ famous print T-shirt.

These are special editions with donations going to help Japan and the devastating effects of the recent tsunami.

This is an opportunity to own a piece of British fashion history while helping Japan.

The minimum donation to get yourself a T-shirt is just £20 but be quick as this limited offer is only available during March. Click here to find out how you can get your hands on a Kate Mouse T-Shirt! 

Alanna Skelton

Westfield London teams up with Naomi Campbell

Westfield London Shopping Center is excited to announce its latest project with Naomi Campbell’s Fashion for Relief Campaign. Get ready for the hottest one-week-only pop-up shop selling fabulous Fashion for Relief designer outfits in aid of The Prince’s Trust!

The shop’s windows will be designed by renowned Set Designer Michael Howells who has designed numerous sets for Christian Dior, Burberry, Louis Vuitton (to name a few) This is like no other pop up shop! Have a boogie with fashionista DJ's and be served by familiar celebrity faces from the world of glamour and fashion!

WHERE: Inside Westfield London's luxury shopping quarter - The Village 
 

WHEN: Tuesday 5th April - Wednesday 13th April
 

WHY: Get some new additions for your wardrobe, raise money for charity and you never know.... make friends with one of the celebs. at the tills???

Nyla Sammons