Victory Vintage!

The hum drum of Bayswater's Whiteleys Shopping Centre is pretty much the same as every other shopping centre up and down the country, a Starbucks, A Gap, A H&M, A Zara if we're really lucky! But on the second floor, something new popped up about seven weeks ago! It's called Victory Vintage and it's sisters Zoe and Rebecca Plummer's solution to the problem. 

Now you might all recognise Zoe as a semi finalist in Lord Sugar's Junior Apprentice in 2008, I personally know her from drama school when I was about fifteen! She invited me down to her shop to have a look around and see what I thought so prepare for a long post!

Opposite Gap, and so refreshingly different from anything else that Whiteleys has ever seen, Victory Vintage is a breath of fresh air. One step leads you out of a white cube and into a 1940s paradise, every detail is pristine, to the vinyl record player, the portraits of the royal family, the literature and war time postcards, the briefcases, smoking tins, and finally, the clothes. 

There really are so many finds to be found in this hidden gem of a shop! In my short stay I was witness to Hermes, YSL, Bally, Christian Dior, Emma Hope, and many other treats. 

The shop is seperated into menswear on one side and womanswear on the other. One has a cascade of leather motorcycle jackets, trenches, tweed suits and brogues, whilst the other focuses on light summer dresses, elegant ball gowns, antique pearls and glorious little leather bags. 

And here are some of my favourite pieces that Victory Vintage has to offer!

Very rare 1920s German Motorcycle Pants

And then with the context of my new job I simply could not help admiring some of the amazing vintage hosiery they have on offer!

These gorgeous Mary Quant tights are the ones that I came home with, for only £10!

So with prices ranging from £5 to £300, there really is something for everyone whatever your price range and whatever your taste in time period. It's like stepping into a little world so far away from the dust of the average British high street and it's a top recommendation for anyone looking for alternative shopping in London. 

Victory Vintage is located in Whiteleys Shopping Centre, the nearest tube stations being Bayswater and Queensway, and a ten minute bus journey from Oxford Street!

Any other vintage shops you'd recommend?

Let me know :)

Sophie xo

NYC Foundation Reviews and Beauty Cards

So you've probably seen those posters everywhere and by now are far aware that Superdrug have launched their own version of the Boots Advantage Card, that's called The Beauty Card. 

So for every £1 that you spend in store you get one point! (although it's 10 points per £1 if you shop online!) So once you have 100 points, you have £1 to spend in store! I think it's great, as I prefer Superdrug so much more to Boots, so am thrilled that they have a loyalty card finally! Although what I think was a rather marvellously intelligent business move, was altering the design of the card so that it doubles as a mirror!
That definitely means that I'll be more likely to keep it in my purse for use, especially when it comes to those rushed mornings of make up application on a train!

So my binging led to me re-discovering the type of make up that I used to love when I was fourteen. N.Y.C. 
I felt that I'd neglected my high street natures a bit lately when it comes to cosmetics, and I was in need of some new foundation so here we go!

I went with the matte collection. The first product is the 'Natural Matte Foundation' according to the bottle, it has an anti shine effect, which is always nice, as I found that the Revlon product I've been using recently gave me far too much of that. It has eight hour coverage, and gives a natural glow to your skin.

I applied the foundation with the Superdrug blending brush. (I myself have never gotten on with the larger than life foundation brushes! So a larger blending brush always works perfectly for me) The consistency is very creamy and soft, and a small dab does actually go a long way, I found myself only having to use about half of what I would with a similar product. The coverage was actually a lot better than I expected, I checked about four hours later, and it was almost as intact as it was upon application. Although when I applied it for a second time with my finger the coverage lasted nowhere near as long, so I think that just shows that when it comes to certain products, a good brush really makes a difference.

Me with the foundation applied. 

The next product was the NYC Colour, smooth and natural Matte Powder foundation. It says that it covers your skin, just like a foundation, and the smooth finish of the powder gives it a shine free complexion on your skin. It even comes with a handy little sponge for application.

I wasn't quite as impressed with the powder as I was with the liquid foundation. I found it very difficult to apply, it's extremely hard to actually get onto my skin, from the sponge, and it's the included sponge, so surely it's what the product is meant to be used with? I found the powder in it self, despite the lovely packaging, a very dry and pasty consistency. Although it was the Ivory shade, the lightest shade in the range, still came out orange on my skin, if you note the areas on either side of my nose in the below picture. I was not impressed at all. 

And this is me with the powder foundation applied

What do you think about NYC products?

I hope you're all well, and if you haven't already, get yourself a beauty card!

Sophie xo

Outfit Post: Black and Gold

You know how everyone has those designers that they just love. Well Halston Heritage does that for me, I think that their dresses are so perfectly elegant and glamorous without trying too hard, and it really just opitimises what a modern, chic designer is supposed to say. Because as a fashion student, as much a I love dresses that make statements about society and challenge stereotypes politically and sexually, sometimes I just want a pretty dress.

The dress is actually a real task to get into! It kind of ribs and twists within itself so you really do have to make an effort to realise how to get it on and off. Please note this is not a dress to wear when you are in a rush or planning to get drunk, I don't know how you'd get it off!

The fabric is so shiny and really gives a luxurious feel, it's such a brilliant occasion, cocktail dress. Club? Premiere? Bar? I feel as if I'm ready for anything that London could throw at me.

This dress is actually one bought in Selfridges in the January sales, but if you like the look of Halston heritage click here to have a look at their collection on Net a Poter. I guarantee it's really worth a look!

What do you all think of the dress?

Lots of love to you all.

Sophie xo

Opi!

So I wanted to use today's post, not to talk about a trend or something current but to show you my favourite ever nail polish. Now you all know that I've forever been a fan of Opi Polishes, and this is the first one I ever got, when I was fourteen, my sister took a trip to New York City and brought back two Opi colours for me, Siberian Night and I think in Pink. (My favourite thing about Opi really is the super inventive names!) 

Opi has an amazing consistency, especially in their darker shades. It's so creamy and the colour really stands out and is very lustrous, this picture was taken after the polish had been on for about three days with only two thin coats on. 

You can see that this polish bottle is very worn as I've had it since I was fourteen! There was even a dried paste of varnish around the bottle top that I had to free with a bottle opener before I was able to get into the bottle! It's probably my most used product, and I really am just so in love with it, I'd wear it constantly if I could. Tattooed nail varnish anyone?

Now just for fun I thought I'd go through the opi website  and choose my favourite names! Enjoy!

Pinks

Ate Berries in The Canaries

I Pink I Love You

Do You Think I'm Texy?

Sparrow Me The Drama

Reds

Paint My Moji-toes Red

Friar Friar Pants On Fire

Tease-y Does It

Purples

Houston We Have a Purple

Over Exposed in South Beach

We'll Always have Paris

Midnight in Moscow

Browns

San Tan Tonio

Barefoot in Barcelona

Chop Sticking to My Story

I'm Suzi and I'm a Chocoholic

Can You Tapas This?

Metallics

I Juggle.... Men

Cosmo! Not Tonight Honey!

Bring On The Bling!

Nudes

Mimosas for Mr and Mrs

Coney Island Cotton Candy

I Vant To Be a Lone Star

Blues/Greens

Cuckoo for this Colour

Ski Teal We Drop

Here Today Aragon Tomorrow

Dating A Royal

Oranges/Yellows

A Good Man-darin is Hard to Find

Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It

On The Same Paige

What is your favourite nail varnish? What do you think of Opi and their crazy names!? Let me know :)                                                                                                                                   

My outfit! Courtesy of Tabio.

So my treat from the Tabio event was this beautiful pair of tights. Each blogger recieved one complimentary item from the collection, and I decided on these Jackie JS Lee two tone tights in silver. 

According to Tabio, they were the hit of the night, they're available for £38.00 from Tabio in four shades, white, silver, blue and black. They've made a return from last season when they were featured in September's Fashion Week at several shows throughout the capital, through Tabio's strong links with Hong Kong based hoisery designers. 

So this is me wearing my Tabio tights! 

Tights: £38.00 - Tabio

Dress - £48 - Topshop

Boots: - Vintage

Let me know what you think of the tights or if you have any others that you love! I now have a job doing PR for a famous tights website, so I'm always on the lookout for new styles!

Sophie xo