Catholic Kitsch

So you might not go to church on a regular basis or be able to recite the Creed off by heart, but that doesn't mean you can't express your faith through your clothes and accessories! Religious iconography has always been a big trend and crops up every now and then, especially amongst the Italian designers- I guess they just can't shake the stereotype. This year "Catholic Kitsch" and images of Mary in particular are the real stars of the show.

I've always had a penchant for all things religious, so now I have a good reason to show off a few things from my own collection along with a some gems I found online.

JEWELLERY

I've got this necklace as a present about seven years now and have, excuse the pun, been wearing it religiously ever since. It's a unique charm style necklace by Mawi which has the ten commandments written on little metal placards interspersed between lockets, signet rings, beads, pearls and more pretty things.

I found a similar hand-made charm bracelet on Etsy. Unfortunately they're not making any more of these but I thought I'd share it with you anyway because it's just gorgeous.

I bought this pendant from Ebay and people always comment on it. It really adds a little something to an otherwise plain outfit and at £5.99 you can't complain.

I also love my wooden Saints bracelets. You can buy these pretty much anywhere nowadays but I got mine from a church in Cochabamba, Bolivia in 2006.

CLOTHING

I recently discovered an amazing Australian store called Black Milk which makes quirky printed apparel. I am absolutely in love with their 'Cathedral' leggings, a print which also comes as a skirt or dress.

I'm also a big fan of Teenage Millionaire's t-shirts. I've had my white Mary is my Homegirl one for quite a while now. I have a green Jesus is my Homeboy tee with matching cap too...the cap makes me look like a 14 year old scene kid/Justin Bieber so you'll be pleased to know that it only ever comes out on family holidays.

ACCESSORIES

Emporio Armarni's clear PVC bag is the epitome of Catholic Kitsch. It was featured in a fashion editorial starring Dutch model-of-the-moment Anouk de Heer in the February/March 2012 edition of Wonderland magazine and as a result has kick started the Virgin Mary trend this season.

I found this clutch on Polyvore and think it's absolutely adorable. Might just have to get one...you could also buy the fabric directly from Robert Kaufman and make your own.

And finally, as you'll know from previous posts I quite like my nail art, so you'll understand my joy when I found these beauties. These transfers were available to buy on Etsy in the summer for a mere $8.99 but sadly they don't sell them anymore. Let's pray they bring them back.

Pinterest

I'll admit, I've 'flirted' with Pinterest in the past, but having recently become a fully-fledged user I'm now completely and utterly addicted.

For those of you who haven't heard of it I will do my best to explain. Pinterest, in a nutshell, is a virtual pinboard. It's an image sharing website, quite like Tumblr but more interactive and nicer to look at. You create different boards following your own personal interests, such as My style or Places I'd like to visit or For the home and you 'pin' images from other websites to them. The social aspect comes into play when you start following other people. You have to opportunity to look at their pins and 're-pin' them to your own boards. You also get a sort of news feed which looks a bit like this -

On the left hand side you have a live update stream which tells you when people follow you and like, comment or re-pin your pins and the remaining section shows you what's been pinned recently. As you can see I've been quite active today...

So far I have 7 boards. Before I joined I presumed Pinterest was predominantly a fashion/beauty kind of thing, but actually there's a lot more to it than that. You really centre it around your own interests. For instance, I'm an avid reader so I created a board called Literature which I'm using as a quasi-reading list for when I'm bored and in search of a good book to bury my nose in. 

Social networking sites are a bit like Pringles really...once you pop you just can't stop. I think the main attraction (or should I say problem?) with Pinterest is that it's really easy on the eye, and when you're faced with beautiful picture after beautiful picture it can be hard to tear yourself away. It's a haven for:

Gorgeous shoes and bags

Nude heels by Ellie Saab

Mint Prada

Mouthwateringly delicious recipes 

Feta, spinach and courgette salad

Salted caramel tart

Fashion forward make up and styling ideas

Model off-duty hair

Ombre lips

Future holiday destinations

Santorini, Greece

Venice, Italy

...and the most adorable puppy in the world

It's also a great way to drop hints. Who knows, if you're lucky someone might see those gorgeous shoes or bag you posted and decide to treat you. Unlikely I know, but a girl can dream can't she?

If you want to join you can either request to be added to the waiting list (currently about 4 weeks wait) or comment below with your email and I will send you an invite! Happy pinning!

Hipsterhagen

So, I know it's been a while since I last did a blog post. I blame a combination of things including a sky-high pile of uni work and job applications, being ill, general lack of motivation and new found addiction to pancakes. I finally have some free time now (ish, kind of, not really) so I promise not to leave you waiting that long for another post in the future.

I spent some time in Copenhagen last week and had a really nice couple of days chilling out, shopping, eating ice cream in Christianshavn, eating a huuuge kebab in Norrebro, eating sushi, (yes, there was a lot of eating on this trip) more shopping, and so on and so forth. 

Nyhavn

Jordbærtærte - a heavenly mix of strawberries, marzipan,
creme anglaise and crushed pistachios

If you've never been to Copenhagen then I suggest you put it on your to do list at once. I can sum up the city with one word and one word only - hip, which is why I now refer to it more affectionately as Hipsterhagen. It has this effortlessly cool, cosmopolitan vibe about it...don't even get me started on the people. Everyone is dressed IMMACULATELY, that includes pensioners and children. I have never once seen a person in tracksuit bottoms or ugg boots a.k.a the bane of my existence - bad enough on women but absolutely horrific on men. 

I know we Brits certainly aren't famed for our good looks, but the first time I went I was shocked to see just how beautiful the people there are in comparison. The Danes are seriously stunning. Envisage a nation of long-limbed, lithe blondes with perfect bone structure. 

Freja Beha Erichsen - the epitome of Copenhagen cool

We're not all lucky enough to be born Copenhagen-ers with an inherent sense of style and incredibly chiselled features, so here's how to fake it. You need:

1) Sunglasses. It might be cold outside but a pair of shades are a definite must-have.

Classic Ray Ban

Chilling with my shades at Den Rode Plads

2) A bicycle. Biking is by far the easiest and most effective way to get around, oh, and it's friendly to the environment and your figure too!

Who says you can't bike and
look cute at the same time?

3) A scarf. Chicago might be the original "windy city" but Copenhagen could certainly give it a run for it's money. A warm scarf is essential unless you want to spend two thirds of the year with a cold.

Chunky knits are the way to go

My favourite scarf from (drumroll)...Primark!

4) A Fjallraven rucksack. Everyone has one, literally everyone.

Practical and stylish

5) A topknot. THE hairstyle of the moment, nothing says effortless chic better.

Gwen Stefani rocking a topknot

Jessica Stam takes things to extreme heights

Follow these five simple rules and you'll fit right in with the cool kids in Hipsterhagen.

Party in the USA

The Union Jack dominated the fashion world last year, but this year there's a full on celebration of all things Americana.

Daria Werbowy in Chanel

Lip Service

American Beauty: Lana del Rey

Jeffrey Campbell El Carmens

DIY denim

Erin Wasson for Elle France

After 6 long years of wear and tear my favourite converses finally gave up the ghost so I decided to go out and buy the Stars and Stripes Chucks from Office.

I also bought a racer back top from Primark. At just £3 how's a girl meant to resist?

You can find the photo editor I used here. It's an online programme which gives photos a vintage feel. There's lots of different effects, frames and filters and it's really easy to use, even by my standards. Here's one I made earlier just for fun...I thought the colours were fitting for a post about America!

☮

A few years ago I developed a serious love affair with peace signs for no apparent reason. Necklaces, T-shirts, you name it...if there's a peace sign on it there's a 99% chance that I want it.

Need I justify the obsession? After all, what's cooler than peace?

♥♥♥

I am lusting after every single one of these things but my favourites have to be the denim jacket by Mulberry - perfect for spring, the gorgeous Donald J Pliner leather boot, and the classic string bracelet by Oxygen. Incidentally these happen to be the most expensive items, so until I make it big I guess I'll just have to make do alternatives from the high-street.

Here's me showing off my favourite big, gold, peace sign earrings which, at £1, were an absolute steal from a charity shop. The jumper and scarf are from H+M, the bracelets from Topshop and the watch is vintage Accurist.

Just my cup of tea

Walking around my local charity shops today I couldn't help but notice the abundance of old china teacups.  A lot of them are really beautiful, plenty of gorgeous vintage floral designs so it would be a shame to see them sat there looking sad on those dusty shelves forever.

But teacups aren't just for drinking from. I've been scouring the internet for ideas on how to recycle these beauties into something both pretty and practical. Here's a few suggestions.

Put a little bit of soil in the bottom and grow some flowers or herbs. These would brighten up the kitchen window ledge a treat.

Re-work your teacups and teapots into quirky lamps. 

Teacup candles are the perfect table decoration. Store bought versions will set you back about £15 so do the green thing and make your own.

Online shop StayGoldMaryRose has transformed old teacups into gorgeous bracelets. These unique accessories add a touch a vintage glamour to a plain outfit. Team with a tortoise for added cuteness.