Famous at Ibis – glamour on a budget

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When you think Ibis hotel, luxury does not necessarily come to mind, but who said you cannot be stylish and glamourous on a budget?

Ibis has teamed up with stylist to the stars Alex Longmore to prove just that. I was lucky enoug to witness first hand how a great location, modern decor, comfort and great service do inject some glamour into everyday life.

ibis_blackfriars_roomI stayed at the Ibis London Blackfriars for a day of fashion and style. The Ibis Blackfriars is minutes walking from Southwark and Waterloo, walking distance to Southbank and super easy access to all tourist attractions. Very handy and pocket friendly.

The decor is contemporary and clean; rooms are simple but very well equipped, with comfort at their centre. Service was friendly and attentive, always with a smile.

ibis_blackfriars_receptionAlex talked about trends for the coming season, all high street and pocket friendly – and I must say I have already adopted a bomber jacket, from New Look, at an affordable £26).

After talking fashion, we were treated to a fab lunch at the hotel’s Fogg’s restaurant, which has delicious, filling and super affordable lunch and dinner options.

Ibis London Blackfriars H7943

After lunch, we were taken to explore the Vogue 100 exhibition at the British Library. Alex took us through the Vogue 100 years of fabulous photography, dousing her extensive knowledge of fashion, style and celebrities over us.

After that, we had some free time to explore the city, which I passed, as London is home, and shopping, which I welcomed, as I was eaget to put the Alex’s style tips into practice!

I had a friend’s birthday that evening and returned to spend the night at my comfy bed at the Ibis. Of course I had a Sweet Bed by Ibis, which offers extra comfort.

When I woke up, I was treated to an amazing breakfast – they even have guacamole, fruit or green smoothies, and the most delicious black rice and coconut rice pudding, healthy options alongside your traditional continental and cooked breakfast items such as bacon, eggs, pastries, and much more.

Even better, breakfast was available until midday (continental; cooked items available until 10).

ibis_blackfriars_loungeWith my tummy full, I returned to my room to do a bit of blogging and opted for a late check-out for extra relaxation.

After my experience, I did feel a little bit #FamousAtIbis! 🙂

The hotel is perfect for a night out in town, families, short breaks, business… it does cater for all needs with its great location, facilities and prices. Daily rates at the Ibis London Blackfriars (3*) start from £91!

Thank you so much Ibis for having me and looking after me so well and Alex for all the knowledge (it was great seeing you again!)

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I was invited to take part in this experience by Ibis, but opinions are my own.

Dani’s Little Book of Fashion: LFW, baby!

lfw_comb - 6This season was a weird one for me. With so much going on in my personal life, I decided to skip LFW AW16 altogether.

lfw_comb - 7I didn’t apply for accreditations, I didn’t request tickets, I didn’t RSVP to the ones I received. Life had been too crazy (and sad – which also justifies the lateness in posting this; I might or not write about it at some point) to fashion week.

I was just to ignore my FOMO and skip it altogether. Enter The Apartment and fabulous blogger Banké to change my mind.

lfw_comb - 3So I picked a day. Had the best time at The LFW Apartment, the brainchild of amazing Abisola (or AbiMarvel, as she is known online), the space if just fantastic. A haven for bloggers to hang out, rest, work and meet brands and other alike.

I can never thank them enough for having me – I got a wonderful blow dry by Mark Hill, stunning nails from Elegant Touch, discovered skincare brad Skin & Tonic London, the beautiful Caravelle NY watches, stationery wonderland kikki.K, got to know more of Urban Outfitter’s home products and was fed wonders from Aubaine, Sugartables London, Starbucks, Voss water, Zeo, Krispy Kreme and Take Eat Easy (which delivered amazing food!).

lfw_comb - 2And this time they have the great guys from Comb (a super cool photo search shopping app) taking lovely street style pictures of us – just book a session and, well, the result speaks for itself.

I took the cat theme (my beloved black Persian Thomas passed away recently, so that was my way of having him round) and ran with it.

The white cat collar shirt is from Miss Patina. I added a simple salopette dress from boohoo, tights from New Look, a cat-ear bowler hat from H&M, Christian Louboutin Pigalle shoes with a satin ribbon around the ankles and topped it off with my Chanel handbag.

Hair was worn down and blue “lipstick” is in fact GloRay eyeliner in Sky Breaker. Nails from Elegant Touch (Hall of Mirrors, the prettiest thing EVER).

lfw_comb - 1For walking around, I wore my trusty Zara boy-ish shoes. I dread the day they are no longer suitable to wear!

Next season I will put all the effort into it. I hope! Until September!

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Fall for Specsavers new addition: Love Moschino

I love my Specs. Many a times I said I grew into loving them, now I see tem as a fashion accessory.

My glasses choices vary every day. Some days, I pick a sharp cat-eye to look fierce. Other times, big thick black frames to look smarter or square frames to look more serious.

When I heard about the latest designer collection at Specsavers, my heart skipped a beat. That’s Moschino for a very affordable £125, and even better, on the 2-for-1.

The Love Moschino collection, exclusive for Specsavers, counts with 12 super wearable frames for prescription, for all occasions, and 3 prescription sunglasses, but with that cute and irreverent Moschino twist.

There are little heart prints, polka dots, tasteful jewels and lettering. They are just the right mix of cool and elegant.

My favourite has to be the cat-eye: black frames with a jewelled detail on the arms.

A close second is this gorgeous larger oval-shaped frames with adorable heart on the outside and polka dots on the inside of the legs. There you have it, my 2 for £125.

I could, however, also do with this gorgeous plum number and the fabulous white-framed prescription sunglasses.

Choosing is a hard task, especially when I tried them all at the amazing Light of Soho which, incidentally, had their art exhibition themed about love.

Impossible not to feel enamoured!

Best thing? You can get hold of yours now! Browse the oh-so-adorable Love Moschino collection on the Specsavers website and pop to a store for an eye test and quirky new specs! The hard party? Pick only 2!

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So Many Lovely Things style retrospective 2015

style_retrospective_somaylovelythingsOh, this year I went a bit crazy on the style front. I bought a few dream bags and shoes and also tried a few different things.

2015 also saw the birth of Dani’s Little Book of Fashion, a more structured approach to fashion on the blog.

It talks trends and style touches that are wearable and easy to incorporate. So which bits are my favourites? I am glad you asked…

Shoes

littlebookfashion_colour_dove (29 of 30)Stepping out of the black Louboutin world, I went for nude and won’t look back! The Christian Louboutin Pigalle 100 in nude patent is a wardrobe staple.

luxemme_party_dress - 15I always wanted some exotic leather shoes and when I saw the Christian Louboutin Pigalle Follies Mika Python, I just knew it had to be them; I’ve always had a think for snake skin… Although rather out there, they are quite neutral in a muted gold. Love.

outfit_quirky_somanylovelythings - 16Flats are a bit of a downer for me, usually more a necessity rather than taste, but these super quirky Office Retreat boy-ish brogues are just too cool for school in silver leather, cow’s hair and pointy toes.

Bags

chanel_handbag - 1After much deliberation, I decided to invest in a Chanel handbag. I went for the classic shape, in a smaller size, with some seasonal quirks. Could not be happier with my choice!

luluguinness_lips - 1The first time I saw a Lulu Guinness Lips clutch I knew I had to have it. And I chose the black one, which is the perfect clutch.

Outfits

So hard to choose… here’s a small sample.

Summer outfit

littlebookfashion_colour_dove (21 of 30)Will have to be colour me pretty, on which I collaborate with Dove. It is a co-ord, it has bright colours, it says summer all over!

Winter outfit

outfit_quirky_somanylovelythings - 19Quirky. I learnt to add a little bit more quirk to my wardrobe on a daily basis. This one has many ideas which can be used together or separately. All while warm!

Party outfit

That’s where it gets super hard. I’ve narrowed it down to three:

somanylovelythings - party outfitThe House of CB cut out pencil dress, ideal for clubbing or  sophisticated night out. Sexy, but not slutty. At least for me.

somanylovelythings - party outfitFor a red carpet vibe, the House of CB plunge evening dress. Plunging neckline, thigh high slit, tons of glamour. O be worn carefully. I was skilfully taped and nipple daisy-ed on this one.

luxemme_party_dress - 1For a family party, this Luxêmme white dress is perfect. Too pretty.

Trend outfit

70s trends - somanylovelythingsHas to be the 70s bohemian look. A tough one to pull off without looking fancy dress. The right elements in the right dose is the key for any era trend.

Casual outfit

somanylovelythings - casualOf course, my Sunday London Fashion Week outfit. Comfy and quirky, it had it all.

Work outfit

work outfit - somanylovelythingsAnother tough choice… I love this pinafore dress and bunny shirt, just too cute, and still dressy. Worn with courts in the office.

flowery suit - somanylovelythingsThis Matalan suit is great too. A suit, but not too serious and stiff.

Fancy dress outfit

Obviously, my freakishly scary clown for Halloween. Tons of makeup, white contacts and plenty of crimping action going on. Oh, and blood. Lots os it.

Chill outfit

Nothing says relax as a My Little Pony oversized fleece. This is two sizes too big and part of a pyjama set, but I just found the top at Primark, so bought it for £8 and couldn’t be happier.

Well, my Care Bear (grumpy, of course), is also a strong contender to this post! Both are so chilled the picture are crap!

What about you? What did you wear and fell in love with this year?

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This post mentions some press samples.

Dani’s Little Book of Fashion: happy holidays

luxemme_party_dress - 1December is indeed the month of pretty dresses.

Although I take every opportunity to don a little dress, in December there are just too many: Christmas parties, celebrations, end of year get togethers plus Christmas and New Year’s eve.

Luxêmme sent me the gorgeous white Elodie crepe flared sleeve cape dress and I thought it would be perfect for New Year’s eve.

luxemme_party_dress - 10Why? In Brazil we have this tradition of wearing white, which symbolises peace, to welcome the new year.

I decided to shoot it in a festive setting, my sitting room. Ok, not much of a choice; it was miserable outside, and it has been for weeks.

I styled it with my adored Lulu Guinness black lips clutch, a gold and black belt, a delicate golden leaves tiara and go shoes.

Not only I thought this look is perfect for a party, it also has that snow fairy vibe to it. The sheer cape feels very comfortable, falls beautifully and I love it sticks to the back in a way it still shows your shape. Because it is sheer, you can also see my curves, which makes it more flattering.

This look will probably take me into 2016. I felt like a cross between a Grecian goddess and Princess Leia – a shorter, chic version of her white flare-y dress!

I have to say that immediately after choosing and placing my order, I felt a bit nervous. White dresses are anything but forgiving.

However, I was very surprised by how good the fit and overall quality are.luxemme_party_dress - 8

It is on the sheer side, but I wore with a nude thong and skin colour nipple daisies, and it was ok. A nude slip would be good too.

It arrived quickly with a personalised note, which was a lovely touch.

Luxêmme carries a great selection of garments for all occasions. The Elodie flared sleeve cape dress is part of their limited collection, so once it’s gone, it’s gone. It costs an affordable £39.

You can browse their selection, and order online on the Luxêmme website.

Happy holidays!

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This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Stepping into another era in Camden, with Collectif Vintage Clothing

100 dresses. No, it is not number I go through every morning before deciding what to wear, silly. It is the number of Collectif dresses donned by lovely ladies at the Collectif Big Camden Party, which lived up to its “night of style, sass and swing” tagline wonderfully.

Choosing from seven beautiful Collectif vintage inspired dresses, we were treated to a fabulous retro hair do as well as a few glasses of prosecco and an unlimited amount of fun at the Collectif shop at Stables Market, in the heart of Camden Town.

I am a huge vintage inspired clothing fan. I don’t make it a lifestyle and don’t really stick to an era, but I pepper it around my own style; and the 50s are by far favourite time.

I love pencil skirts, cinched waists and I think that’s the best shape for my body; I feel comfortable and of course, pretty!

After squeezing myself into the gorgeous Yvonne Hanna Check Trim pencil dress and with my head suitably adorned with Victory rolls (by Lucy’s Vintage Hair) we moved on to Solomon’s Yard for the party.

And what a party it was. We were promised live bands, DJs, burlesque, magic, hoola hooping and Unicorns (yes, UNICORNS) ad boy, did they deliver that and more.

Welcomed by a vintage car and motorbikes, the stage was always filled with the most amazing acts: the Victory Sisters, an impeccable wartime vocal trio wearing pretty Collectif Maria Woodland Bloom Swing dresses.

There was beyond sassy burlesque from stunners The Folly Mixtures, with two cute and sexy acts, music spanning the eras between performances, courtesy of DJ Gem Precious and Diana Thompson.

Fabulous in orange drag queen Meth killed the comedy lip-syncing and got us all singing and laughing, and I even got some bonus spanking from the hilarious Levitating Elvis, with his boxing glove hair, an act so weird that is wonderful.

I do have to single out the not only gorgeous but super talented The Tootsie Rollers.

All five of them wore sultry siren Ingrid Fishtail evening dresses and left me smiling throughout the whole performance of pop sons with a swing twist. Extraordinary.

Finally, the unicorns. They came all the way from The Fabulus of Unicorns, a group of horn wearing, glitter-spreading people whose sole purpose is to disseminate love and happiness among humans. I mean, I just felt so happy around them that it’s not even funny.

I was of course, “kissed” by a unicorn and can still find glitter all over my house.

And there was dancing. Laughing. Such a fabulous atmosphere, fantastic happy people, all supporting a great brand with glamour that keeps giving.

My dress (and all the others I tried – sorry guys, you were fabulous and so kind trying to accommodate me) has an excellent finish and detailing, amazing cut, fits well and made me feel a million dollars.

All their clothes are amazing, the designs are obviously, vintage inspired, but very wearable. I have my eyes on a few little numbers, I tell you!

You can browse the beautiful Collectif Vintage Clothing collection on their website, I highly recommend it.

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Get ready to party with Topshop

topshop_party_roomCertainly I am not the only one that wished I had a lovely place to get changed after work to head off to a party. This festive season, Topshop gives you just that.

The Topshop Party Room at Oxford Circus is a little secret that gives you the comfort of a private room to get ready with your friends, from the 12 November to the 23 December.

Personally, I find the concept super interesting. I hate getting ready in the office or gym toilets, especially when the event is more sophisticated and demands special hair, makeup and clothes.

Just adding a pic of Lola's cupcakes because I can...

Just adding a pic of Lola’s cupcakes because I can…

The experience comes with a personal stylist, complimentary makeovers (Topshop Beauty) and hair styling (from Hershesons), refreshments and cupcakes from Lola (yum) and a festive good bag with party survival essentials and makeup.

Oh, and there’s a photobooth (you all know my love for photobooths) and a bar open to those who are 18+!

It costs £10 per person, minimum of 4 people, and the amount is redeemable against purchases on the day, which frankly i find super cheap. Get mor info on the Topshop website. I took a look and is selling out fast. HURRY!

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Pam Hogg’s Lawless SS16 catwalk show

pam_hogg_ss16I am a huge fan of Pam Hogg. Everything about her designs scream that rebelliouness London fashion has been historically known for in the fashion week circles.

Last season, her autumn/winter was all about childhood tales gone a bit wrong and the story telling on the catwalk was just fantastic. Continue reading

Dani’s Little Book of Fashion: Autumn in the countryside

lbf_countryside_autumn - 3If you know a little bit about me, you know I am not a country loving person. That is limited to not enjoying “long walks”, hiking and camping.

Continue reading

How I feel about trends

trends - somanylovelythingsTrend. Such a powerful word nowadays. Everyone uses it. There’s a trend overload in all aspects of life.

Now, let me get this out of the way: I don’t dislike the word trend (or real trends themselves). In fact, I quite like it, as helps give you guidance to easily update your wardrobe, but sometimes I do think it is overused to mis-sell stuff.

Continue reading