Fashion & ethics ... Not that deep :/

So on this Sunny Sunday, I took a trip to my favourite haunt Spitafields with the intentions of purchasing a picture frame… I think you know where this story is going! My addiction and lourve for clothing is one that runs deep. So lemme get to the point I came across a really cool stall which sells organic and ethical tshirts. That go by the name of Organik Rocka which is an amalgamation of fashion music and consciousness. All the things I try to stand for! I based a predominant part of my dissertation on Ethical Fashion which has unfortunately go by the the way side however ! Ethical fashion will slowly but very surely be reintroduce to my wardrobe. If we all just stepped away from the primarks of the highstreet and used our buying power, don't get it twisted people we as consumer have serious command on the high street and have been for a good 5years or more... Demanded more ethical fashion and organic goods like we do with with our food. The world will be a better place. Now where were we ... oh yes Organik Rocka, now apparently they have gigs and parties … Seems like a movement I look forward to being a part of. Check out their website organikrocka.com I treated myself to there ‘star tee’ shown above in a green colourway. The cotton is gorgeously soft and well made. The charming Kai who was on the stall explained to me that, the cotton was particularly an aspect on their business which they were passionate about getting on point.

Glasses without shades..

I mossied on from the sparkling contemporary glassed roof Spitafield market to the erm after thought smaller market which is closest to Brick Lane and its trendy Big Chill bars and the like. I found some really cool shades, which were like 80's vintage goliath - Run DMC stylie shades however they were frames with a see through lens i.e., not serving it’s purpose !! I really L O V E these frames but I feel a fraud buying glasses with a see through lens. Guys help me … Will I just look like a fash victim !?!?! I said just earlier I aspire to be conscious … :/

I'm Reeeeeallly sorry for my long absence i pinky promise to keep you all fashion lovelies informed of my ever long finds xx




Ciao for Now !

Faaaa lalala HAPPY CHRISTMAS ! & A MERRY NEW YEAR

I hope you've had a belly busting, and well watered Chrimbo.

Now this instalment of Rubi Finds has become occupied with Rubi's Locs, I have received a number of compliment on my hair. THANK YOU ALL!! *Blushing*, I am especially proud and delighted of these compliments because my hair is natural and in a beauty obsessed world having a natural, as much as it is praised, is not usually the subject of many desires. I have come across articles and blogs which do dwell over the difficulties of transitioning over to a natural.

The ardious task of looking for inspiring hair styles is a looong and winding road. However i have come across a few ... 'Contemporary Natural Hair' facebook group is by far the BEST i have seen for natural hair styles on the web and believe me i have search! This group displays advant garde styles a such as the pic below, doesn't she look fierce with those sexy african coils !!

More often than not, I come across hair styles such as Miss black britain who is gorgeous with hair that suits...

When the media depicts natural hairstyles is often related to gorgeous mixed raced chicks with mid lenght hair (as above), as a result i think this make it harder for those with tighter colied/african hair to take the step to natural hair. Thus my issue is that when searching for afro hair styles for short to mid to length its difficult!!!! tooooo many sites/blogs/people are obsessed with attaining long hair, instead of being happy with they're own lengths. Ultimately people should be more concerned with the maintenance of good hair and by 'good hair' I mean in good condition !! Check out Chris Rock's documovie - 'Good Hair' which take us on a journey of black women's hair and their trails and tribulations, and sometime unfortunate association with their own hair. I honestly think every young black tween should watch this movie, so to be informed and educated of the beauty that is their afro hair.

My natural hair story began because of my boredom with relaxed hair styles, for the first time since Zhane, a sexy strong individual women burst on to the screens with a bald head! Amber Rose, now love her or loath her, to me this woman looked bad!

By this point I shaved half my relaxed hair .. may I just say I did this way before the whole world decided too as I was inspired by my ol' favorites Salt & Pepa. I digress , so instead of having to wait for my hair to grow i thought why not just shave the other side off ! Then it grew a bit and I played with colour.. roll on 9 months including a huge afro weave. My hair is now a length which i can now play with and because of the limited search, i have had to become my own inspiration which brings me to the reason of the blog.

Part of my play is using two strand twists - youtube have a world on how too's for this.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBQlEA0CqOI&feature=related check this vid out ;0)

I'm often asked how i achieve my most recent hair style, basically i two strand twist the night before, the longer its kept in the better the curl. Therefore;

• The night before two strand twist by parting mid - small sections of your hair. Literally twist the two sections of the hair and then twist together. Then twist round into china bumbs.
• Cover hair with a silk or satin like scarf, be careful not to wrap your hair too tightly.
• In the morning untwist without combing out which leaves the hair with a natural like curl avoiding any heat damage. To assist the hold I use Taliah Waajid Lock it UP, which can be bought online from http://www.afrotherapy.com. This is similar to a gel so will hold hard. I think its best to use on freshly washed hair and let dry naturally overnight.

Then use hair grips to manipulate into place and style as desired. THEN Voila !

Ciao Ciao and see ya in 2011 !!!

Well I did wish for a White Christmas...

If like me you're probably having heart palputations about what presents to buy, we've kinda gotten through the chrimbo parties and sparkles...BUT after the weekends snow stopper, if like me you couldn't get everything online, its off to the shops we go...hi ho hi hoooo.

So here are a few ideas for the kids without being too cliche ...

For Nieces/Nephew/ and other littlens...

If your littlens are lucky enough to have a Wii console, the game of the moment seems to be Epic Mickey.. cheapest place to buy off the high street is HMV £29.99, they also give away a Bonus DVD.

Monsoon Accessorize have the most adorable girl clothes, just incase you haven't noticed . We have been having the most torrential of weathers therefore one can't avoid but invest in weather protection presents, init!

Accessorize has the most adorable wellies and a rain macs of which i'm so getting for one of me nieces! Ssssh

Vintage Rose Rain Mac - £24, Wellies - £14

So, i'm far from being a mum.. however the instincts are starting to brew a little, with my very limited knowledge, I felt the rain mac is heavy enough to protect, but light enough for layering underneath.

If you're more of a trendy momma/aunty/unc/dad how about All Saints eh?!

Without your littlen looking like an extra from Hollyoaks DON'T get too carried away But DO pick out some key pieces such as the boys cardi as shown below Children Fife Cardigan - now £35!! All Saints now have up 50% off in stores ...

Or how about a gorgeous keepsake for a new born Mamas &Papas has the most exquisite silverware including a 'Once Upon A Time' - Silver Musical Box - £20 Click here to see. They also have up to 1/2 price sale on .

Its inevitable but one can't help but come across things for themselves ish.. I'm not quite sure where the obsession with thicker lashes came from .. it seemed to have started about 3yrs ago my first introduction to the world of Bambi lashes was thorugh Shu Uemura peacock lashes (model on the left below).

I digress .. in Fenwicks Bond Street, I came across RevitaLash an intensive lash and brow treatment http://www.revitalash.com/ to be honest the interest in this product was less about me and more about the people closest to me.... It is my belief that one should only enhance ones beauty, not try to make it 'better' by changing into something that they're not..i.e, appreciate your own beauty don't try to chase others.. anywhoo Revitalash is a lash conditioner, this brand also has a Brow conditioner the story behind the brand is ... Revitalash® was developed by Dr. Michael Brinkenhoff as a special gift for his wife, Gayle, while she was recovering from breast cancer. Intensive chemotherapy treatments had damaged Gayle’s once-beautiful eyelashes, leaving them sparse, breakable and fragile.

After extensive research with a team of talented cosmetic chemists, Dr. Brinkenhoff formulated an eyelash conditioner that, after just a few weeks, gave a renewed look of vitality to Gayle’s eyelashes.

Soon friends and family wanted to know Gayle’s secret to beautiful looking eyelashes. Gayle knew immediately the perfect name for the amazing eyelash conditioner that had given her eyelashes a renewed look of vitality: Revitalash®.

Thus, a new product was born; and a formula created originally for just one special woman has become a product available to women everywhere who want to have beautiful looking eyelashes.

Gayle and Michael are committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from RevitaLash® sales to benefit non-profit breast cancer research and education initiatives.

Revitalash is to be used as a treatment, it seems a difference can be noticed in month, over six months is suppose to be the proper period to notice a real difference.

From £69 - 99 for a 3 - 6 month treatment.

LAST THING ...

After My miu miu discovery I had a mini obsession with designer/chic stationery bags for gadjety uses.. gone on have a whirl ... ;)

from top to bottom...

MULBERRY Daria Sleeve for Macbook, £350; MULBERRY Agenda Oak printed leather, 250;Anya Hindmarch Cables & Chargers nylon bag, £95;DVF Mariela printed laptop case,£100 (Net-a-porter.com); What is luxury stationary without Symthson, if like me your a budding entrepreneur this amber card case if so fierce one can;t help but take you seriously !£100.

Ciao Ciao xx

17 Sleeps... until Christmas !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As that 70's rock band put it so eloquently ... its CHRISTMASSSSS... well nearly ( 17 sleeps at time of blogging). This time of the year brings mixed feelings for me, but mainly excitement ! I totally L O V E it.

With this blog my friends, I will try to inspire and hopefully solve a couple of our yearly dilemma's - Work Chrimbo Parties, Sista-friend gifts, Secret Santas.

Work Chrimbo Party Outfit -

My Rules are;-

Remember Remember you're still at work, so don't get too carried away! All the execs, bosses will be in one place :S so reign it in but still look fabulous !

We all know Black is safe, when is come to Work Parties why try to fix something thats not broken!

Key pieces;-

The LBD in 2010 is the Jumpsuits - sexy, safe and elegant and easy transformation from office to party just wear as white shirt over the top in the day...then come evening hay presto!

French Connection - Ripple Wonder Jumpsuit. £175

Warehouse. Bandeau Jumpsuit with embellishment reduced to £30 !!!

its how you wear it baby not how much it costs.

If you do have time to changeinto a lovely outfit, the highstreet have so many amazing embellished, and velvet textured mid thigh length dresses.. check out these fabulous dresses from oasis !

Oasis. Iris Velvet Dress £55

Oasis.Baroque Beaded Dress now £145

longer lengths, textures and embellishment are so fabulous right now which is excellent for a work party for, as before remain elegant yet still fabulous and leave the more sexy you, for outside of the office !

Sistafriend gifts ...

Every year we don't want to spend too much on each other because have about a million nieces and nephews, uncles and aunty .. the list go on presents.. BUT our ladies are, i'm sure you'll agree we love to death and ultimately want to treat !

So i always want to buy something memorable at Christmas for my sistafriends

What better way to say that then with Miu Miu (Hehe). This is a gorgeous pocket ish sized Purple leather croc organiser which contains a ringbinder agenda with 2011 diary and address book, easily fit in the handbag. One which is definitely top of my chrimbo list !

Liberty.Miu Miu Croc Organiser £215

Nothing speaks friendship than a friendship bracelet!

Links of London. Friendship Bracelet Navy & Pink £110

This sweet bracelet comes in an array of colours

Selfridges. Marc by Marc Jacob, 15" Laptop Sleeve also available in pink £45

Selfridges.Marc by Marc Jacob 3G iPhone cover £30

Habitat. 6 piece cocktail set£30

What is a girly night in without cocktails !

John Lewis ( yes John L!) Waterford Crystal John Rocha set of 2 Red wine Glasses£76 ... these are too fabulous to drink out from! It seems there are also champagne flute available, however currently not online.

Secret Santas;

Now i always !!! get stuck for what to buy, but good ol' JL John Lewis does it again...

What is that you may wonder?? For £5 of your hard earn cash it is an iWing stand that holds you iphone or mp3 player.

Amazon.co.uk .Blackboard Message Mug £6.58

I can honestly say this is probably my best find ever !!

Hopefully I have inspired or and made your Chrimbo search a much less ardious task...

Until next time ciao ciao !

H&MMMMmmmmms Does it again!

Back from sun, sand and too much sangria .. not to make you emerald green with envy. I did realise however upon my return how much of a city girl - specifically London lady I am !!

Just as I was gazing into the fireworks and getting holiday ill low and behold HM does it again whoooop!!!

Drum rolllllll

Lavin for H&M - Tuesday 23RD November

Creative Director Alber Elbaz - HM Collection is tongue in cheek, glamourous and pretty fabulous.

The collection will also be available online from 7.00am Tuesday 23rd November. For just one night be a lil less eco friendly, keep your computer on standby, memorise your long card number and get ready to click until your hearts galore !!! That's until you have to get ready and shoot off for work *sigh* .

I have my eyes on the Dorothy-esque's Grown-up shoes

Psssst ... Watch out for my new launch trinkets a must have for your mates Chrimbo Stockings. Will keep you updated for the launch xx

Until next time ciao ciao :o)

Fabulous on the inside … while its cold outside that is : /

So Vogue held an exciting fashion night out across all the fashion capitals at the start of the new fashion season. I bumped into me ol' mate Mr Armani the paps were bombarding him so we didn’t get to have our usual chinwag. There was an exhilarating buzz throughout the air that night in bond st/west end with freebies galore - champagne, cocktails, free mini make overs, music and celeb spoting on a major scale! Gap flagship store had the electricfying Janelle Monae - PDiddy’s new ish signs .. but don’t get it twisted with her association with PDiddy, she is an individual, super talented and a total breath of fresh air to this generation of music !!

Bobbi Brown at Selfridges gave me sultry smoky eyes by one of her international makeup artists AND I discovered Estee Lauder do foundations for my skin tone ! So impressed I actually bought a tube ! At a fantastic competitive price of £25 it is definitely in my top 10. I would give it 7 out of 10 –

- for its competitive price

- the colour matches well but however sits on the skin after a couple of hours ( this is mainly due to my combination skin).

- The tone could be warmer.

- It is very light in texture so doesn’t weigh down the skin.

- last but not least, the tube easily fits in the handbag so v tube friendly !

As the days are getting colder, central heating being toyed with and cashmere are getting an airing Vogue are now launching a Fashion Night In, Online - Monday 1^st November – so get your laptops well charged, credit cards at the ready, a large cup of cocoa or as it an occasion a glass of vino or home made cocktail ... let the fun times begin!

So as were on this theme of 'nights in' ….

HOME TREATS …

http://www.returntoglory.co.uk - which is a hub for loads of beauty services which are brought to the comfort of your own home, currently there is a 15% off discount when booking online !

PERFECT SOFA WEAR...

Myla have some very sexy jimjams, ok on the expensive side but we’ll be in them for the next 6 months so why not !

Ivy Grey Melange camisole - £55,

Ivy Grey Melange leggings - £59

This Jack Wills Shelderton all in one @ £69 is toooooo cute ! (for a full size pic click here ! : S

Also check out the Jack Wills - Winchet Leggings - £29 & Wharmley Tank - £19

M&S’s Autograph Modal Rich Long Sleeve Waterfall Wrap - £22.50.

Lounge Lover found on Net-a-porter.com gorgeous Nube long length wrap (below) is well worthy of rushing out to the cornershop with - £170

La Senza - pom pom socks £8.

Get your Jo Malone Candles out - set your most relaxing playlist on your ipod/mp3 player let the fun night in begin xx

Until Next Time Ciao Ciao :0)

One woman's Gaultier is another woman's Westwood

Kitten heels smitten heels not me! Fall10 are reviving the Kitten heels, which for me are like purgatory, a no man's land ! They are like diet coke - not a real full fat coke with all the goodness. A coke less the taste and full of extra sugar Yuky . But hey one woman's Gaultier is another woman's Westwood, thus for those whose ankles are screaming for gravity, seeing as we have been spoilt the last few seasons with sky scrapers here are a selection that I’ve trawled through *sigh*.

Mind you I think I have converted my own self !

These autumnal heels have very much a vintage sophiscated style, simplistic and daring all at the same time. Kurt Geiger, Emerald - £160

These fierce leopard skin boots are a way of rebelling against the kitten in the heel ( see what I did there hehe!)

KG by Kurt Geiger, Vanika - £140

Now these are the epitome of the kitten heel... there is a thin line of these looking mumsy - Not in a yummy mummy sort of way. So I think best to pair these with some on trend cigarette pants to sex these up a lil bit and wear with an edgy pussy bow blouse such as D&G polka dot blouse or crisp white shirt - such as Westwood's Anglomania tizer tie front shirt;

http://www.my-wardrobe.com/vivienne-westwood-anglomania/tizer-tie-front-shirt-518929

Tabitha Simmons, Cecilia velvet pumps - £640 (net-a-porter.com)

Singing in the rain...

The metro reported it is officially the end of summer *sniff sniff* meaning we will have to get our wellies out...

Don't know about you but i would be willing the rain on just so as i could wear these AWIO Westwood Ankle Glitter Boots - £90

Its all happening tomorrow !!

One of fashions biggest days of the year is happening tomorrow across fashions capitals with Vogues fashion night out... after its successful launch last year, from 6pm - 11pm Wednesday 8th Sep get yourself down to Bond street and Carnaby street to rub shoulders with models and london 'it' crowd. Many of the boutique stores will be offering discount and mini treats such as Juicy Couture welcomes Pixie Lott to host its night with DJ Sophie Ellis Bextor on the decks and Miller Harris presents 'Miller's Market' with guest stallholders Clements Ribeiro, Astier de Villatte, Scarlet & Violet and Melrose & Morgan. Refreshment on the night will include a specially commissioned blend of ice cream created by Marylebone gelateria Cocorino using Miller Harris rose and geranium oils. AND cocktails in Jimmy Choo!

Check out - http://fashions-night-out.vogue.co.uk

Now if that wasn't enough Manolo Blanik is launching in Liberty's (http://www.liberty.co.uk/) tomorrow!!!

How much can a fashionista take !

Ciao ciao ;0)