Fashion – Page 2 – The Prim Girl

theprimgirl / June 6, 2018

Conscious Brands Helping Boobs and Bums Everywhere

If you’re kinda like me and care about people and the planet, but still enjoy buying cool products, then it’s been hard in the past to find brands which genuinely hit the right note when it comes to being both conscious and covetable. I like pretty things. I like nice things. But I also like to buy from ethical companies. The days when buying with morals in mind meant you had to only wear hemp dungarees and wash your hair with home-brew are gone; there are cool new ways to be a conscious consumer. Cool stuff that cares, that’s what I wanna be opening up my purse for – my recycled vintage purse, obviously – and there’s some brilliant new brands on the block which offer exactly that. I get real excited when I find a brand I wanna buy from but I often pause to purchase if I consider that the production of it creates more waste and pollution, that it was possibly made using unfair labour, or that my money will simply help a fat cat get fatter. So when I discover a brand I love, and then learn that it has true integrity, I’m clickin’ that *checkout* button knowing I’m buying something nice, and doing something nice too. Ping! Checkout complete. I wanna share the love for these brands I find, keeping them to myself would just be selfish, and this post is all about the sharing so lemme tell you about two brands which are not only gorgeous, but give back to charity too.

Undies. We all wear them all of the time, well, most days anyway, so we gotta buy some somewhere. I personally don’t wanna be spending my days wearing scratchy lacy frilly things which are uncomfortable, sweaty and supposedly sexy, because, sexy, it sure as heck aint. Also, probably like many of you, I don’t wanna see the undies I buy shown to me on a 5’9 tall, 20 year old woman who doesn’t represent what it’ll look like on me. So it’s really refreshing to see that Knix – a cool Canadian underwear brand – use real women with real bodies in their product pictures. Pores, lines, cellulite and scars are unashamedly represented, and boy, does that feel and look great! A shift is happening where we’re no longer laden with impossible standards in the media – a slow shift – but a brilliant one nonetheless. Knix was born when its owner wanted good leak proof undies after her pregnancy; she couldn’t find any so the brand began. ‘Reinventing Intimates for Real Life’ is their slogan and they superbly specialize in underwear which looks and feels great. Seamless, underwire free, quick dry, odour resistant, and with a 4 way stretch, this is the kind of underwear I wanna have on my skin. They take into account what we really need for comfort and convenience, which helps us feel a heap more confident too. I don’t wanna feel pinched or squeezed by my pants or bra. I want them to feel like a second skin and Knix has a good range of sizes too so every gal will find their fit. This brand feels like a community whereby they listen to and collaborate with their customers to constantly find what’s needed. Made from beautiful soft fabrics in Italy, these are affordable too, and I for one adore them. The other thing I LOVE about Knix is that you get 30 days to try your bra, and if you feel it’s not as perfect as you want it to be, you can return it. Then, they only go and blimmin’ donate all their returned bras to women’s charities! Absolutely awesome.

Whilst we’re chattin’ about bums, I also wanna flag up an ace brand of toilet paper which I recently discovered and ordered from. Who Gives a Crap is an Australian brand who sell honestly excellent toilet paper, made completely without the use of trees! 27,000 trees a day are cut down for toilet paper. SAY WHUUUUT?! So, Who Gives a Crap are fully forest friendly and make their paper from 100% recycled, un-dyed and unscented paper. That fact alone is enough to make me choose the brand but, the paper packaging is adorable too. You’ll be instagramming your bathroom shelf as soon as your rolls arrive. They say their 3 ply paper is as ‘soft as unicorn kisses and as strong as 1000 ponies’ and, having been using it for a month now, I’d say that’s a pretty accurate claim. They’re softer than the loo roll I usually buy, they look super cute, and, they’re no more expensive than the regular bleached rolls at your local supermarket. They’re good for ya bum, great for the environment and, get this, they donate a whopping 50% of their profits to build toilets in countries where people don’t have them; they’ve donated £650,000 already! Boom, wipe ya bum, save the trees and wipe out poverty at the same time. A most excellent enterprise. These two very lush brands really give back, and I for one wanna get behind them.

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theprimgirl / May 23, 2018

7 Ways To Rock Flats

A pair of heels can make you feel taller, sassier and more confident, I love wearing a heel, but we all know that wearing them too much isn’t good for our joints in the long run, bunions like Victoria Beckham anyone? Nope. Nope, thank you. It’s great to take a break from heels and summer is an especially great time to embrace the flat! They are way comfier, can make you feel ready for any adventure, and, can look super cute too, here’s some styles to choose from, which ones will you be rockin’?

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Sneakers – Almost everyone has a pair of sneakers in their wardrobe even if its only for your active days when you pop to yoga or go for a run. Whilst they’re mainly a casual style of shoe, many people break the rules wearing these shoes on a night out with dresses, I adore the cutesy dress with tomboy trainers look. Paired with skinny jeans, a blazer and a fresh tee, they can even be worn to work as smart-casual. Try showing some ankle to accentuate your shoes and keep you sneakers looking sharp!

Plimsolls – Plimsolls are a little more versatile than chunky sneakers, and I’m TOTALLY a Converse girl. You can match these with everything from dresses to suits for an ace laid-back look. You may draw the line at wearing them to a very formal events, but, I’ve teamed mine with a floor length 1930’s evening dress in the past, it’s elegant with a hint of playfulness. You can also customise laces and add DIY decoration like studs and sparkle.

Sandals – When it comes to summer footwear, sandals are up there at the top of the list. Whilst there’s plenty of heeled options, there are also amazing flat options like sliders and mules – this guide at https://www.harpersbazaar.com can show you some of the best on the market. Treat yourself to a pedicure before sandal season to keep them tootsies pretty, unless you’re thinking of wearing socks with those sandals!!

Espadrilles – Espadrilles offer more support than sandals whilst still keeping your feet cool and comfy in summer. There’s lots of designs incorporating canvas and wicker which are pretty much essential holiday footwear. Check out Chloe and Zara for some of the most stylish choices, and of course, there are plenty of imitations for those wanting to buy shoes on a shoestring budget.

Slippers – For casual lounging around, nothing beats a pair of slippers. You can even wear slippers out of the house thanks to weatherproof and felt designs as found at sites like https://www.glerups.com/. Fun slipper designs are also cool, like unicorns and geeky movie designs, the slipper game is STRONG right now.

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Ballet flats – Ballet flats are suitable for any occasion and are just timeless, bringing a French chicness to your outfit. They make smart workwear and are great going-out shoes too. Sites like http://www.frenchsole.com/balletflats specialise in ballet flats and have a great range for getting inspiration on styles.

Platforms – Platform flats, or ‘flatforms’ can help to give you the added height without putting a strain on your body. You’ll find platform variations on sandals, espadrilles and even plimsolls. Chunky wedge sneakers are also in, there’s so many to choose from.

Flats really rule the summer, go find your perfect pair!

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theprimgirl / May 16, 2018

Ya Gotta Love a Leiber Bag!

Last month, legendary maker of lovely bags, Judith Leiber, passed away at the grand age of 97. I absolutely adored her designs. She died in New York, at her home, just hours after her husband of 72 years also died; which is a strangely sweet situation. Budapest born Leiber began making bags after the second world war for the secretaries of the American Legation. and just over a decade after that she relocated to America and her company was born in 1963. Loved by the famous and the fashionable, Leiber’s quirky and covetable designs bring a big ole smile to ya face. ‘You have to have a sense of humour’ she once said, and her delightful delicacies – which include ice cream sundaes, over-sized bows and animals in outfits – proved that playfulness was paramount in her work. Over her career she made leather bags, shoulder bags, snakeskin bags and evening bags, with her iconic signature style being the miniature metal cocktail bags which were completely covered in rhinestones. These sparkling sturdy bags were developed by accident when Leiber once had a metal based bag which had a stain on it, so she covered the stain with crystals, and, ta-daaah, her biggest hit was born! These luxurious bags are all hiiighly collectible and are pretty darned pricey but, so, so delightful. Seen in the hands and on the arms of Bjork, Emily Blunt, Barbara Bush and our very own Queenie, its no wonder that examples of her designs are on display in museums around the world. A swan shaped encrusted bag was featured in an episode of Sex & The City – when Big gave it to Carrie in lieu of saying ‘I love you’ – and this pretty much cemented Leiber’s place in pop culture history. She leaves behind her a real legacy of loveliness.
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If you ever find yourself with the desire to spend some big bucks on a brilliant bag, you can see the selection here, or, browse vintage stores for her older designs, they will always be an ace investment.

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theprimgirl / May 15, 2018

Be Happy With The Way You Look

There aren’t a lot of people out there who can confidently say they’re totally happy with their appearance. It’s kinda hard to look in the mirror without pointing out every single thing that you feel is wrong, or that you don’t like about yourself, it’s hard to get perspective when you look at yourself every damn day! It’s often the case that we’re just so full of insecurities, we feel we can’t get over them. We’ll always be able to point them out, although, truly, others would barely be able to notice them. But, if you’re going to spend your life not being happy with your appearance, then you’re going to spend your time being a pretty unhappy person. Life is meant to be enjoyed, and your appearance is something you can learn to love and feel proud of; whatever your size, shape, style, and so on. This little article is reaching out to all of you who feel a bit down about the way you look, to you to tell you you’re perfectly ace as you are. There’s loads of ways you can learn to help yourself find happiness in your appearance, here’s just a few I like…..

Pick Out Your Good Features – If you’re always looking in the mirror and picking out your bad points, as I know I ALWAYS do on a bad day, then you gotta try a little reverse psychology. Focus on the good aspects of your body and face, and use them to bring you up, up, UP. If you have good eyes, focus your makeup in that area to help make them stand out. If you know you have killer legs or boobs, wear things to show that bit off, your confidence will soar when you trust that you look great. People hide behind insecurities, and that gets in the way SO much. If you’re sitting there thinking you have no good features, then, lemme say, you, my friend, are most definitely wrong. Some people are so insecure, they struggle to even notice the best parts in themselves, but you have great things about you, we just gotta remember that on days when we feel crappy. If you can’t do that, just ask others around you who you know love and care for you to pick out the best parts for you! You’ll be surprised about what people say, and it’ll make you feel so good for people to actually be pointing out the good bits in you. If you do feel as though you have a ton of insecurities, find out if there are ways to reduce the appearance of them. Like, spots, acne or maybe marks from sun damage, do some research and see what things can be done to improve them, there’s often lovely natural remedies you can try at home, and they may just make you feel that little bit less self-conscious.

Mix Up Your Look – Sometimes mixing up your look a bit is the best thing you can do to get happy with your appearance. It can be so boring looking in the mirror and seeing the same thing each time. So, let’s work from the top down. The first thing you could change, is your hair. Doing something completely different is exciting and scary, but it can be one of the best moves you’ve ever made. There’s so many different styles available, such as the shag haircut, that could suit you and give you a renewed look, mix a colour change with a cut, and you could end up really happy with your appearance! I’m feeling my hair is a bit too dark and saturated with dye so I’m looking at getting some subtle highlights to lift me a bit. But it’s not all about what you look like physically, it’s how you dress, which is easier to influence without having to worry about a drastic change. Your style should reflect who you are as a person, and you should never be wearing something you’re not happy with, on days where I wear my favourite items, I feel my most content. But, depending on what your style is, there’s plenty of trends for you to be following. All you gotta do is check out the internet, or take note of people you’re seeing on the street, there are new ideas all around, and sometimes just a small change can make a big change to how you feel.

Take Care Of Yourself – Sometimes you’re just too busy to take good and proper care of yourself. I feel a bit pale and tired at the moment so I’ve just added an iron supplement to help restore me. Sometimes it’s hard to even do the most simplest of tasks, such as making sure you get the right amount of sleep each night. Sleep itself will massively affect your appearance. If you spend your time rushing around, and then leave yourself with around 5-6 hours sleep each night, you’ll begin to notice fatigued looking skin, and those pesky bags will appear beneath your eyes. Try and focus on getting a full 8 hours of sleep a night, no matter what that means you’re having to sacrifice, cut back on the late night Netflix for a bit maybe? *that’s more of a note to myself there!* You should also try looking after yourself in terms of your diet and what you eat on a daily basis. Again, it can massively influence your appearance. If you’re eating the right food, you’ll look so much more radiant.

Daily Remedies – If you’re looking for a daily remedy to better your appearance, I have a few. The first is to make sure that you’re following some sort of routine in the morning, so that you can actually prepare and maintain your appearance. Wake up earlier to make sure you can calmly shower, eat, put a bit of makeup on, and make sure your hair is the way which makes you happy. So many people hate their appearances because they wake up with just 10 minutes to spare, just because they aren’t getting enough sleep! So my best daily remedy is allowing yourself to get enough sleep, and to wake up early enough to manage your appearance so you can feel confident through the day.

Trust me, on days when you feel frustrated and unhappy with how you look, you really do look so much better than you think, we just gotta stop being so harsh on ourselves, and that takes practice. Look at yourself as you look at your bestie, you wouldn’t pick out their worst bits would ya? So try not to be hard on yourself, be your own best friend and tell yourself you’re lookin’ GOOOOD!

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theprimgirl / February 27, 2018

Mon Dieu, Dior! An Impulsive Pop to Paris

So, Paris is always a good idea, so the saying goes, and I kinda think it’s true, as I discovered when I impulsively popped to the very pretty city. Paris played host to what I can now confirm to have been a dreeeeam exhibition of Dior, and since it opened in July 2017 I had been properly pining to go. I wrote it off as too indulgent and costly, but, when I realised I had no plans for New Years Eve, and that the exhibition ended in early January of 2018, well, the pangs for Dior proved to pull me towards booking a solo trip. A treat for myself after a very tough year. ‘Couturier De Reve’ (dressmaker of dreams) was an exhibition I just couldn’t miss. I imagined being an old lady and saying ‘I nearly went to Paris to see that amazing Dior exhibition, but didn’t go in the end’, and that thought made me sad, so I booked a seat on Eurostar, and went.

Pop! Paris was calling.

It did cost me money, and it did feel feel indulgent, but it did make me very happy and I’m so bloody glad I went. Dior did not disappoint, not one teeny bit. Paris itself was wonderful, an exciting and elegant city, and travelling alone was just what I needed, (more on the city and travelling solo in my next posts) but Dior, damn, it was divine. Celebrating 70 years since The House of Dior was created, it was an exhibition of epic proportions. I’d arrived late one afternoon so wandered down to The Musee Des Arts Decoratifs so that I knew where I’d have to get to the next morning, and what the queuing set up was like. Getting there from my hotel was straightforward as the Metro was real easy to navigate, and even though the museum was due to close in an hour the queue was still wiggling a long way down the street. Gah, I’d have to pitch up real early in the morning to ensure I got in on my only full day in Paris. So I got there bright and breezy with a croissant in my tummy on the morning of New Years eve, and the queue was pretty short. Phewf! I stood and chatted in line with a lady from Stockholm and we got in as soon as the doors opened. I kinda knew I’d be flabbergasted by it all, my tummy was all of a fizz with excitement. It totally blew me away. Like a combination of all the best bits of any fashion exhibitions I’ve seen in my life, this was simply spectacular. I’m a girl in love with dresses, and this Dior show was dress paradise. It was insightful, educational, expertly curated and so, so beautiful. There were loads of rooms, each completely different to the next, and it covered Dior himself and his design beginnings and went on to showcase the work of all the designers at the helm of this house up until now. It was an absolute heck load of lovely. And, as a vintage dealer who has often referenced his iconic New Look outfit -which defined a decade of dressing- to see that in up close was pretty fluppin’ brilliant. It was busy, but calm, all of us in awe of what our eyeballs were seeing. The final room of course had been instagrammed to the heavens and I was most excited to get in there for real. It was like a fashion finale with everyone in there like, literally gasping at the utterly magical feeling it created. Sparkling lights like stars moving around the high painted ceilings of this grand space, music kissing our ears, and dresses, showstopping dresses which I’ve only ever seen in fashion history books, right there in front of my own face. I don’t think I’ve ever been this immersed or amazed by an exhibition before, absolute perfection. Dior sure made my dreams come true in Paris that day.

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