The Best Swimwear and Cover Up’s

July 29, 2016January 13, 20171 Comment

Finally summer has arrived in full force and that means a trip to your local or hopefully not so local beach. Whether it’s the beach or a summer pool party I love to glam up swimwear with a flowing kaftan, body chain and I am a huge fan of a cut out swim suit. These are some of my favourite beach looks of the year so far.

Pink and Girly

This look went perfect staying in the Royal Hawaiian, Honolulu as it’s a huge pink palace but a cute pink bikini is perfect for any where!

Bikini – Victoria Secret

This bikini is one I bought in Vegas and isn’t available in the UK. If you can shop online on the US website they do have a few left in the sale so grab it quick!

Kaftan – River island – £35

This long kaftan is embellished with silver beads and lace detailing. I have loved River Island’s beach wear this year, its been my number one place for cover ups! They still have this long kaftan in stores and online for £35.

http://www.riverisland.com/women/swimwear–beachwear/kaftans–cover-ups/white-lace-maxi-kaftan-682503

Fringed and Fabulous

Every one needs a black bikini, they are always flattering and you can re style them over and over again. I teamed this fringed piece with a bold blue necklace and body chain for a day at Nikki Beach Marbella.

Bikini

This bikini was from Queen B’s range she did for H&M but you can pick up this almost identical one from Miss Guided for Just £22.

https://www.missguided.co.uk/fringe-triangle-bikini-black?gclid=CPfPiLfsmM4CFeoW0wodE2sIgg&dclid=CL_djrfsmM4CFch12wodqiEFig

Sparkles and Detailing

This look I wore in Vegas, perfect for an all day pool party. Wedges and a sparkly kaftan dress up any pool side outfit even a plain white bikini and some ripped denim shorts!

Bikini

This bikini was Topshop, I would always recommend spending a little extra on white swimwear to make sure its high quality and wont go see through. The Top was £16 and the bottoms £14 which is a bargain as you can re style this perfect basic over and over again.

http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/category/clothing-427/swimwear-beachwear-3163078

Kaftan

This kaftan was a show stopped from a local designer, you can follow her at @pinkcherrycouture on Instagram. This brand has been featured on TOWIE and she has several celebrity customers. Everyone commented on it, I picked this one pre made for £180 but she has a huge range and can make bespoke items.

Wedges

My Wedges are Jimmy Choo Portia 120’s, they are amazing in crackled gold and go with EVERYTHING!!! Michael Kors have totally surprised me this year with their amazing updated shoe line and had some great wedges that I would recommend checking out. If designer brands aren’t your thing New Look always have a great range of wedges at amazing prices and as the fashion season is changing you may grab some in the sale!

Asymmetric

I love the look of an asymmetric bikini but if you have a cup size over a C it can be a challenge to get one that you feel comfortable in. River Island brought out a great range of asymmetric bikini’s that had a large strap and one side but a thin strap keeping everything in place at the other. I teamed this with another River Island cover up and a must have floppy hat.

Bikini

This bikini was of course River Island and only £28 for the mix and match set. The large contrasting frill over the front made the whole set fun and flattering, the perfect bikini combo! You can still shop this bikini online at RI but hurry up as sizes are going fast.

http://www.riverisland.com/women/swimwear–beachwear/bikinis/bikini-tops/white-frilly-asymmetric-bikini-top-680994

Kaftan

I hunted this kaftan for weeks! First it sold out in my size on ASOS then on RI’s website but then one day browsing in store I found one lone Medium hidden behind a similar kaftan, there is no joy like it! This beautiful short Kaftan was £40 but they currently have this one which is just £35 and really similar.

http://www.riverisland.com/women/swimwear–beachwear/kaftans–cover-ups/white-embellished-sheer-kimono-676894

All Out

If you really want to go all out at a pool party you must get a swimsuit or bikini from Mode Mwah. They are a small boutique in Liverpool but have a huge following on their Instagram page @modemwah with many celebrity customers. Their swimsuits are flattering and make definitely an impact. Swimsuits and bikini’s range from £120 – £180 and can take up for 5 weeks to be made so you need to place an order in advance of jetting off to avoid disappointment. I wore my Twinkle Python Swimsuit with Tom Ford Sunglasses and my Jimmy Choo Wedges at the Wynn in Vegas.

Love Lottie xxx

My Top 5 Beauty Products For Summer

July 15, 2016January 14, 20171 Comment

Summer is all about easy, natural, glowing and effortless looks. These are my favourite products for Summer and the looks to go with it!

1 NYX Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator

This liquid illuminator will give you the ultimate glow, you can use it to highlight your brow and cheek bone by placing it over your foundation or mix it with your foundation for an all over dewy glow. At only £7 it’s a total bargain and the little tube lasts longer than you would think. My favourite colour is Pure Gold.

2 Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick

Summer is all about effortlessness and ABH Liquid Lippy’s give amazing colour and one application lasts all day. My favourite summer colour is Dolce, a nudey peach, perfect for every summer occasion. If you really want your colour to last and don’t want to fall victim to the dreaded crumbly croissant mouth make sure you exfoliate your lips before applying! This can be done with a unused soft bristled mascara brush and Vaseline or a simple sugar scrub. You can make one by mixing the following ingredients:

-A tablespoon of brown sugar or white sugar
-A dash of honey (just enough to make the sugar really stick together) OR a bit of olive oil/coconut oil
-A teeny tiny little drop of vanilla (it makes it smell yummy, but isn’t necessary.)

ABH is priced at $20 which is around £15, these Lipsticks are so popular they sell our fast it took me three attempts to get Dolce!

3 Clarins Multi Active Day – Lotion

Although I love a bargain its sometimes worth it to pay that little bit extra when it comes to your skin. Clarins Multi Active Day Lotion is light and easy to apply leaving you moisturised, protected to SPF 15 but not feeling sticky or weighed down. This is priced at £42 but if you shop at Boots they always have great offers and bonus’s on making the value for money great!

4 Brown Mascara

Sometimes black mascara can be a little heavy and summer is all about the “no make up” look. If you are looking for a relaxed summer day time look or want a look that will look great on those light summer nights I would recommend using brown mascara on your lower lashes. It really opens up your eyes while keeping a natural look. Everyone has their favourite mascara wands but I would recommend Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Mascara, the soft brush hits every lash with out creating too much separation. Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Mascara is available at most super markets and high street pharmacy’s for £7.99.

5 Clarins Multi Blush

If you want a light dewy look cream blusher is a must, Clarins Multi Blush is applied as a cream but transforms into a light powder upon application. It is easy to use and the cute compact is perfect to slip into your bag on those long summer days out. It lasts really well in the heat and is something I pack for every holiday when I want to feel glam around the pool or at a party. My favourite shade is 05 Rose and this amazing blush is priced at £18.50 but will last you all summer long.

Love Lottie xxx

How to Authenticate Chanel

July 11, 2016February 6, 20171 Comment

Every month I write a blog for Handbag Clinic, this month I have written a blog all about how to Authenticate Chanel. I started working at Handbag Clinic buying and authenticating all of their bags and am the in house expert for authentication. For my full guide please visit

http://www.handbagclinic.co.uk/Handbag_Clinic_Chanel_Guide

Love Lottie xxx

The Ultimate Summer Bag

July 5, 2016January 13, 2017Leave a comment

In my opinion whether you are jetting off on holiday, hitting a festival or just enjoying the sun in your local town the ultimate summer arm candy is the Louis Vuitton Neverfull.

Louis Vuitton has been making bags since 1892 and the brand is still creating some of the most popular bags to date, even though some of these bags have been around for since 1932. Louis Vuitton shows no signs of going out of fashion any time soon!

The Neverfull is available in several materials and colours. In my opinion if you are going to invest in a Louis Vuitton the Damier Ebene is the most versatile and durable. Working in a company that buys and restores handbags I see so many Neverfulls come through our office and the Damier Ebene is the easiest to keep looking new for longer.

The bag its self is versatile, it can be used as a beach bag, travel bag, day bag and the pochette inside can be used as a purse or even a clutch. It’s so many bags rolled into one! The sides of the bag can be pulled in giving the bag a whole new shape too, perfect for transforming your look and as the name suggest it is NEVER full!

Although you can pile this bag with all of your essentials make sure you look after your Neverfull and don’t over load it, a snapped handle hurts as much as a snapped heel, if not more!

The Neverfull comes in 3 sizes, GM, MM and PM. I would recommend the GM and the MM, the GM is huge, perfect for the beach but sometimes a little too big for every day. I’m currently considering getting the MM in Damier Ebene as it’s such a practical bag…you can never have too many Neverfull’s can you?!

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I’ve worn my Louis Vuitton NeverFull GM in Damier Azur all around the world. Cannes, Hawaii, LA, Las Vegas, London and ofcourse Newcastle! It’s the perfect bag for every trip.

Louis Vuitton Neverfull current prices for Summer 2016:

PM – £ 750

MM – £795

GM – £835

Love Lottie xxx

All Hail Queen B!!! – The Formation Tour UK

June 30, 2016January 13, 2017Leave a comment

The UK leg of the Formation Tour has started with a bang and what better place to start than the North East of England! Like most girls born in the late 80’s and 90’s Beyoncé is my idol and when I managed to get Gold Circle 1 tickets I squealed, jumped and cartwheeled with excitement.

On Monday night I could barely sleep and jumped out of bed on Tuesday morning to panic buy a rain appropriate outfit. Yes, unfortunately in true North East style it was bucketing down with no signs of clearing up. After an hour of unsuccessful shopping I decided I would just own the rain, get wet and flick my hair around “Drunk In Love” style.

I wore some mega ripped Mom Jeans with a white crop, white Chuck Taylor’s and a silk bomber. I felt like I could of been in the background of one of the Grown Woman flashbacks!

I was heading to Bey with 4 of my best friends which is the only way to go! People scrambled for the plastic poncho’s but we marched through the crowd’s in the brightly coloured sunglasses that were being given out to the crowds, not letting anything rain on our parade. As we walked in we were handed goodie bags filled with a poncho, towel and sunglasses. We were then given VIP badges making us feel like Beyoncé herself.

DJ Khalid was the support and we danced in the rain waiting for Bey to grace us with her presence. She started with the girl anthem of 2016, Formation rocking that huge hat as the giant screen in the middle of the stage turned. We were then taken through ALL of the hits, all the way back to Destiny’s Child….but to everyone’s surprise there was no sign of Single Ladies! Maybe Lemonade and the revelations into Bey and Jay’s marriage that have been came from it has made the singer change her mind about encouraging girls to “put a ring on it” and would rather empower women to be strong, independent and show that girls really do run the world. (YASSS QUEEN)

It was an emotional rollercoaster, I’m not sure if that is because of the moving heartfelt lyrics of Lemonade or the atmosphere in the Golden Circle but as she belted out Freedom me and my Bestest belted it out too with tears streaming down our face. She closed with Halo turning everyone into emotional wrecks, even me, which I still cannot believe as I’m known as an Ice Queen (emotion isn’t really my thing). Beyoncé’s powerful presence clearly had an effect on me.

If you are going to a one of the Formation Tour dates, you are in for the best concert of your life. The staging, 36 song set list, dancers and overall show was phenomenal but for someone to sing, dance and perform like that all at once, (without breaking a sweat) is beyond amazing and something to be admired. All Hail Queen B!!!!!

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Love Lottie xxx

P.S. THAT ASS!!!!!!!

NYC Looks – Perfect Outfits for New York Pt 2

June 20, 2016January 13, 20171 Comment

I have loved planning my outfits for New York but have enjoyed scrapping my plans and throwing together things at the last minute more. These looks were the result of ditching my plans and experimenting with the two cases full of clothes I brought with me to New York. Never be afraid to experiment!

Tribeca Lunch Date – Tribeca is a super cool, trendy area of New York and home to Queen B herself. It’s like Soho but more residential with boutique style shops and Cafe’s rather than the big chain names.

Dress – Lindsey Sleeveless Midi Dress, Boohoo.com – £12

Waistcoat – Long Waistcoat, Zara – £29.99 (Sale Alert! was £39.99)

Shoes – Classic White Vans (back at it again with the white Vans) – £45

Sunglasses- Zara – £15

Bag Chanel – Chanel, Handbag Clinic – £2300

Drinks in the Meatpacking District – The Meatpacking District is a really cool area with secret cellar bars and roof top terraces, no need to get dressed up too much, everything goes!

Dress – Asos off shoulder mini dress, Asos – £15

Boots – Suede Heeled Ankle Boots (Tan), River island – £65

Bag – Tassel Bucket Bag, Saint Laurent – £493

Sunglasses – Ralph Lauren – £90

Choker – River Island – £5

Baseball Game

T Shirt – Claudia Schiffer T Shirt, Zara – £9.99 (Sale Alert, was £14.99)

Jeans – Mollie High Waisted Jeggings, River Island – £40

Denim Jacket – Oversized Denim Jacket, Topshop – £45

Trainers – Internationalist Nike Trainers, Net-a-Porter – £55

Sunglasses – Zara – £15

Sunny Day in Long Island City – Long Island City is a really cool place with amazing places to eat and the best views of Manhattan!

Baseball Hat – Violet Baseball Hat, Boohoo.com – £6

Vest – Asos Vest Body (2 pack, black and white), ASOS – £20

Denim Shorts – Denim Low Rise in Clover, ASOS – £20

Shoes – Classic White Vans – £45

Sunglasses – So Real, Christian Dior – £240

Bag – Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandoulerie (Damier Ebene) – £850

Love Lottie xxx

NYC Looks – Perfect Outfits for New York Pt 1

June 13, 2016January 13, 2017Leave a comment

I’ve been exploring New York for 3 days now and have crammed in seeing everything from West Village to the Upper East Side.These have been my looks and most importantly where I got them!

1 – Drinks in the West Village

Jeans – Mom Jeans, Topshop – £42

Top – Basic Crop Top (Tall), Topshop – £6

Blazer – Zara – £65

Shoes – Zara – £29.99

Bag – Chanel, Handbag Clinic – £2300

Look 2 – Exploring Long Island City

T-Shirt Dress9 – Cara, BooHoo.com – £8

Denim Jacket – Oversized Denim Jacket, Topshop – £45

Shoes -White Classic Van’s (Dammmnn) – £45

Sunglasses – So Real, Christian Dior – £240

Bag – Chanel, Handbag Clinic – £2300

Look 3 – Brunch

Sun Dress – Lace Insert Sundress, Topshop – £29

Denim Jacket – Oversized Denim Jacket, Topshop – £45

Boots – Suede Heeled Ankle Boots (Tan), River island – £65

Sunglasses – Sideral, Christian Dior – £290

Bag – Chanel, Handbag Clinic – £2300

Love Lottie xxx

The New It Mulberry

June 3, 2016January 13, 20171 Comment

Mulberry have certainly been doing some revamping recently, from bringing back their vintage stamping to renovating their classics and ditching styles such as the Del Rey to make room for some new pieces. Mulberry has grown from strength to strength over the years and always seem to bounce back with new styles that quickly become a must have item.

As I buy Handbag’s for Handbag Clinic everyday I see a huge mix of Mulberry but nothing beats the Bayswater. Bayswater’s that come into our stores fly out with in minutes of being posted online or being placed on the shelf. The one photographed below was placed into our Newcastle store and sold in just 10 minutes!!! I’m sure the new sleeker, Celine esque Bayswater will be a huge hit.

If you are looking for a great quality, authentic, pre owned Mulberry (for roughly 50% less than in Mulberry) then keep you eyes on Handbag Clinic’s Facebook and Instagram, @handbagclinic . Bags will soon be available to buy online also so look out for that at the end of June.

In honour of the Bayswater’s new look here are some cool facts about how it came to be Mulberry’s most iconic bag:

Mulberry usually named their bags after rural locations in England but the Bayswater was one of the first Mulberry icons to venture into the city. The name Bayswater is taken from an upmarket, leafy district of London.
Mulberry was launched with just £500 in 1971 by mother-and-son team Joan and Roger Saul but the iconic Baywaster was designed by Nicholas Knightly who joined the company in 2002.
The Bayswater’s was inspired by a practical Doctors bag and the stylish Hermes Birkin design. This hybrid perfectly mixes practicality and style making it the perfect modern woman’s bag.
The Bayswater was crowned the first ever British “It Bag”.
The Bayswater has been carried by a huge range of celebs, Kate Moss, Alexa Chung, Fearne Cotton and Michelle Keegan are huge Mulberry fans and have regularly been papped with a Bayswater on their arm. The bag has even made it stateside on the like of Lauren Conrad, Blake Lively and Emma Roberts

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Lauren Conrad and Lo Bosworth were seen shopping at Kitson on Robertson Blvd. Then on to Agent Provocateur on Melrose Avenue finally after working up quite the appetite they chowed down at El Coyote mexican on Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles, Ca.

Pictured: Lauren Conrad

Ref: SPL41204 260708
Picture by: Rob Rosen / Splash News

Splash News and Pictures
Los Angeles: 310-821-2666
New York: 212-619-2666
London: 870-934-2666
photodesk@splashnews.com

michelle_keegan_carries_mulberry_handbag

Love Lottie xxx

One of a kind

May 31, 2016January 13, 2017Leave a comment

This week I met with an artist who is offering his services which allows you to make your bag as unique as you are. Rocky Mazzilli is the man behind these amazing pieces pictured below and soon you will be able to book an exclusive appointment with him in our store in Islington.

Rocky is certainly one of a kind and has been taking the fashion industry by storm with his brand Year Zero for many years. His clients include Pharrell Williams, Jason Derulo and even Queen B herself (that’s Beyoncé in case you don’t worship at the church of Yonce).

I sat down with Rocky and his super cool Mum Louise Michielsens in the Blue Bird, Chelsea to see what he had created with three Louis Vuitton bags I recently sent him. I was blown away!

I know there will be some Handbag lovers who may feel this is sacrilege as these are beautiful bags to begin with but I personally think if you want to make something completely yours, make your mark, express yourself then why not. I definitely love the results and cannot wait to create my own design!

These amazing designs and many,many more will be available from Handbag Clinic very soon with prices starting at £100.

Love Lottie xoxo

How to spot a Fake Louis Vuitton – Monogram Icons

May 25, 2016February 6, 2017Leave a comment

Every month I write a blog for Handbag Clinic which can be found on the Handbag Clinic wesbsite. Recently I have written a blog all about how to Authenticate Louis Vuitton, from date codes to vachetta leather I know how to spot a fake bag. My full guide can be found at the below link:-

http://www.handbagclinic.co.uk/How_To_Spot_Fake_Louis_Vuitton

Love Lottie xxx

lottiehelen

Style – Travel – Beauty

Category: style

The Best Swimwear and Cover Up’s

My Top 5 Beauty Products For Summer

How to Authenticate Chanel

The Ultimate Summer Bag

All Hail Queen B!!! – The Formation Tour UK

NYC Looks – Perfect Outfits for New York Pt 2

NYC Looks – Perfect Outfits for New York Pt 1

The New It Mulberry

One of a kind

How to spot a Fake Louis Vuitton – Monogram Icons