I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have

I am taking a little break from my spending splurges. This is still a 'new items' based post but luckily this time, I didn't have to spend anything. (ok, apart from my train tickets - does that count as spending?) I finished my Motel Rocks internship last Thursday. As mentioned, I was only there for 5 days as this is all they could offer me until late December. I got the contact through my time at Boudoir as Natasha moved from Boudoir to MotelRocks.com just two months ago when the brand decided to take PR in house. This meant the office was really small as their main team is based in Bristol.

My duties mainly included sample send outs and celebrity gifting which meant immaculate gift wrapping service. I also booked couriers and dealt with brands to help out with goodie bags. On my last day I got to look into venues, caterers and activities for an upcoming blog event. I loved this bit and I think I  have learnt I would like to focus on event planning.

I was so lucky to receive a thank you gift from Natasha and the team for my time there. Here are some of the goodies! I think the turquoise dress would have been perfect for holiday - maybe this is a reason to book another? And the purple is such a gorgeous colour that I will definitely wear it on a night out on the town. What do you think? Thank you Natasha and thank you Motel!

Has anyone else done any internships? I always love to hear about them!

Much love, Katie xx

Spending splurges part II

Welcome to part 2 of my spending splurges. Hope you have all been indulging in the name of fashion just like me! After all, you only live one ;)

Stripe dress – I went on the hunt for a stripe dress after seeing a few people sporting the nautical theme teamed with denim jackets. The outfit was simple yet looked really trendy and cool. Wow does that not sounds half like something you’d mother say? Anyway, I nabbed this one from H &M for about £14.99 I think. It wasn’t the blue and white I’d hoped for but I think the black will actually work better for winter.I would quite like to team it with some black heeled ankle boots and a black denim or leather jacket. (P.S please excuse the horrid hair and cringey poses!)

Dress H & M, £14.99

Converse – YAYYY! Converse! Blast to the past these coming back into fashion. I still have my berry high tops from my skater days but decided to invest in some black low tops for comfort and wearability. I already have some blue vans but really needed something black to go with everything in between which is a little bit more edgier than my ballet pumps. I find Converse pretty expensive so it took me a while to convince myself to buy them but now I have, I am happy J With a cheeky 10% off it made my purchase even more justifiable and they are just soooo comfy and easy to wear.

Converse, Schuh, £43 original selling price.

Ochre Blazer – I had seen this at work and weirdly was drawn to the colour. Its not something I would normally go for but after my friend at work teamed it as an outfit with a black and white blouse it grew on me. Unfortunately, I didn’t think it was quite good enough quality for the original price of £32. Once I saw it in the sale at Next however – bingo! £16? All mine please J I think this is a good way to brighten up monochrome outfits subtly. It can be quite versatile really, dressing an outfit up or down. For me, it is perfect for all the interviews I hope to intend striking a good balance between smart and casual. The drape lepels would work better with a tighter fitting outfit but here it is with my black and white dress.

Jacket Next £16, Dress H & M, Converse, Schuh £43

Robot necklace – I love quirky necklaces and thought this was so cute! I have a robot jumper from Topshop that would go with this to set off the robot love theme to its full potential. At £5 I was SO chuffed! Normally cute necklaces like this come with a hefty price tag that I can’t justify paying so I made sure I didn’t miss out on this bargain.

River Island, £5

I also added these rings to the outfit. The cross and the far left ring was part of a five pack from Outfit which I got in the sale for £3!. The xo ring is a Picasso Tiffany ring brought as a present.

What do you think? Has anyone been moving items from their 'I want' list to their 'I need'?

K xx

Spending Splurges part I

So over the last month or two I frivously dug into my purse and let loose on the high street. Yes, I went a bit YOLO and here is part one of my spending splurges.

Yellow shoes – I always love getting heels in the sale, seems so much more worthwhile of a spend and these add nicely to my collection of brightly suede shoes for just £15! I have got a few pairs from the Next sale now - both the pink and lilac shoes in this picture actually, all proudly lined up on my display unit in my room. I highly recommend the Next sale (I swear I am not being biased working there) everything is 50% or less and you can always guarantee there will be something you will like. Just make sure you get there nice and early to avoid disappointment. Doors normally open at 5am....no joke.

These rings were also victims to my shopaholic behaviour. The knuckle ring was purchased from Dolly Bow Bow after I fell in love with the brand during my work experience at B Public Relations. Selling vintage inspired jewellery and accessories this certain piece is similar to the YSL knuckle ring. The other - a set of two rings was picked up from the Next sale for about £3 - bargain! I love jewellery sales :)

Dolly Bow Bow knuckle ring £12 Next £3

 Topshop shorts – I went through a bit of a pastel phase and was on the search for a pastel skater skirt for when it was hot. However, when I saw these two shorts in the Topshop sale I thought they were just as good, if not better! Shorts are always have a big thumbs from me as the tend to be a lot more comfier as you don’t have to worry about exposing your undies on the tube or in the wind. The shorts didn’t fit as well as I had hoped, they sit a little high waisted which normally would be ok but they then ride a little high which makes me feel a bit self conscious. I think if i'm honest, I wish I had tried them on but they were too good of a bargain and I’m too lazy to take them back. I’ll just have to loose a bit of weight to make them fit better ;)

Aztec net top: New Look, £6 Shorts,Topshop £10

Top Missguided £22.99 Shorts Topshop £15

Aztec top – I Brought this top in the New Look sale, as soon as I saw it I thought it would go nicely with the lilac shorts. That’s all I have for this bargain story - quick and easy does it.

Blasia Sequin collar vest blouse – As a sucker for PR my internship at B public relations lead to an detrimental shopping spree at Missguided. As you know, I already loved the brand but spending so much time among the rails meant my fingers were itching to get onto the website even more than usual. I love chiffon blouses as you can dress them up or down and they strike a good balance between girly and sophisticated. I chose this one to add a bit more colour and sparkle to my wardrobe. I have worn it down with jeans and intend to wear it with one of the pastel shorts when the sun creeps out.

What do you think to my recent buys? Has anyone else been spending the pennies? New purchases always give me a new sense of inspiration and that little bubble of happiness. Dangerous, but so worth it.

K xx

Living in black and white

Living in black and white by katie-constable featuring a rucksack bag

Motel Rocks - it really does!

Another day in the life of an intern. Yes, I have bagged up another placement slot, this time at leading online retailer MotelRocks.com! I am only at the London office for five days but am very thankful for the opportunity. Not only have I met some more lovely people, gained some more experience, I have also rediscovered a little love for the brand.

I  remember Motel being such a hit with me and my school friends due to the ready to wear party outfits and vibrant prints. I don't know what really happened, I think I grew out of it and sadly forget about Motel but after being back around the brand I can honestly say they have some great pieces in that I am up for letting my spending fingers loose on. The brand are really starting to get noticed as a leading online retailer, so keep your eyes peeled as I am certain you will see a lot of it in your mags soon.

The brand has some big names supporting the brand such as Pixie Lott, Jessie J and recently Nicola Roberts and Tulisa. My internship has meant lots of rummaging through the rails and the website, wrapping and gifting pieces for celeb fans and returning samples - giving me a great chance to see the new stock.

I have pulled together a few of my favourite pieces from the 'New Arrivals section'. They all seem to be very monochrome based but these items stand out to me most. I think they are some of the most wearable pieces yet are still eye catching. I think they also give a more mature feel to Motel than before yet are still playful.

Go have a look and let me know your favourite. I know I definitely 'want' some of these!

K xx

 

Motel Rocks by katie-constable featuring crop tops

Beautiful Ends Herbal Essences: REVIEW

Hello,

I thought I would do a quick product review today (Ok, so it isn't that short). I haven't done one of these yet and if honest, am slightly nervous. I am not an expert in beauty products but thought it might be useful for anyone reading my blog to get an unbiased and completely ammature opinion of some of the products out there.

After my last hair appointment my hair dresser pointed out my hair was looking a bit dry. This was a surprise as even though I don't go much due to a) the cost and b) I don't need much doing to my hair - she always says my hair is in great condition. I don't do anything in particular to my hair apart from wash, blow dry and straighten or curl. I used to be really bad with protecting my hair due to many products being quite heavy and greasing up my hair. This is a nightmare as I have such thick, long hair I hate to be washing it every day. I do make sure I use Tony and Guys protein protection mist now though every time I straighten it as it made a big difference to the healthiness of my hair and also gives it a smoother finish.

I decided to invest in a hair mask after using one that came complimentary with a magazine and my hair dressers advice. I think it was a Pantene one and I thought it was amazing. Anyway, after a while I popped into Boots to find an equivalent. I didn't really want to buy a large pot but with no sachet options and with it being more worth while buying a pot - I decided to go for it.

I can be a bit tight with my money when it comes to beauty products, I really don't know why but I wasn't really keen to pay £5 for a hair masque. It is probably considered cheap but I am just not use to paying that much. I decided on Herbal Essence's Hair Masque's as it was on offer at £2.09 a pot. I couldn't decide for ages which one to go for so I brought two - the Beautiful Ends for split ends and dry hair and the Hello Hydration one.

Herbal Essence Hair Masques Beautiful Ends and Hello Hydration both £2.09 Boots.

Now, they might do exactly the same thing, but I wasn't sure and thought I might as well get two for the price of one. If anyone knows if they do make much of a difference I would be happy to hear about it :)

So far I have used the Beautiful Ends pot and am really pleased. Normally Herbal Essence products can be so soft it makes my hair greasy but with this I had such a soft finish and have not experienced any unwanted grease. My hair felt light and yes, cheesy as it sounds, completely revitalized. I noticed the effects as soon as I blow dryed it with my hair having a nice shine and my hair looking brand new. The texture is so similar to the conditioner that actually I wondered whether it was the same thing but like I said, it has had a different effect on my hair that it can't be. It has a yummy raspberry and silk smell which is quite musky and lingers. If you are not a fan of fruity smells maybe this isn't for you but I love it as it makes me feel like it has had a good wash. You leave it on for 5 minutes and use once a week and I will definitely continue this regime.

Beautiful Ends, Herbal Essences £2.09 Boots

I don't know about any other brands, has anyone else tried anything? Probably next time I will try something different but for now, I would definitely recommend Herbal Essence if you are new to this sort of thing. Its on offer at the moment and is so worth the price. I can imagine that yes, it is probably a good masque for a starter. Cheap, quick and easy I would say go for it :)

K xx

Missguided AW Press Day.

During my internship with Boudoir  PR I was luck enough to attend the The Missguided AW press day.I was so excited as I love the brand and have always wanted to help out on the events side of PR. I thought I would give you an insight into what the event entailed. 

The day  started early by prepping the goodie bags which were filled with awesome treats from coloured hair spray, a t-shirt, fake tan, cider and nail varnish and yummy lollipops. 

Then I had to arrive at 8 am at The Box in Soho. This meant a crazy 430am wake  up with getting home at 9pm but it was worth it.

The Box is an exclusive night club based in the centre of Soho. I will admit, when I arrived in the early hours I was a little concerned for my safety – an innocent country bumpkin girl aged 21 but looks 16 in the dark sex streets of soho is never a great start. Carrying mannequins, cupcakes and clothes up the 5 flights of stairs was also exhausting but seeing the final set up just showed the creative vision you need to have in PR and events. Simply, it looked wicked. Dark and dingy turned into an antique basement vibe, alike to an All Saints store. Two lit up letters took center stage with the new collection decorating the room with mannequins, shoes on tables and clothes draped above bed posts. It was a fashion museum for the high street. Offering breakfast and lunch to the press of London with welcoming smiles and chit chat at the front door, everyone loved the collection and if wary at the beginning – completely understood the location when they left. The place gave a great atmosphere and with a manicurist, amazing gifts, clothes, music and bubbly – what more could you ask for? Sadly The Box has a strictly no photo policy which I think upset a lot of bloggers. I do feel this was the only let down of the event as it was so cool you wanted to share it with everyone! The idea behind this is that it makes the nightclub more exclusive and for anyone walking past, it works, you just want to go in and explore but for a press day it was a slight hitch.

The new collection is designed by two new inhouse designers. The team have worked hard on improving the quality of the clothes so that there shouldn’t being any reasons for disappointment when shopping on the internet. The pieces were showered with praise with everyone pleasantly surprised at the cheap price tags yet stylish cuts and shapes. Dark berrys, Khaki and blacks were the colour theme with killer heels and cut out wedges decorated with studs and spikes. My favourite was a Khaki coat which had leather sleeves and a fur lapel. It would look so wicked with jeans and boots to keep you  wrapped up in the cold winters that are not far round the corner. My other was a black body con dress decorated with gold embellished crosses on the top. I always love a good LBD with  a bit of sparkle. Both I definitely WANT and will be the first on my Christmas list.

If you haven’t shopped on Missguided before definitely check in. They have had a few problems with their website recently which is disappointing but probably good for my bank balance! The only thing I hope is that Missguided don’t loose their cheap price tags and don’t do an Asos on me. I loved Asos for their bargain buys yet as soon as everyone caught onto the best kept secret on the internet their price tags shot up. I still go on the site but don’t buy anything like I used to. I understand better quality comes at a price but please Missguided we love you as you are! 

What do you all think? Are you excited?

K xx

Day in the life of a Fashion Intern

So hear is the the big D-L on my internship at Boudoir PR.

New Girl

What a whirl wind! Starting off at any new internship is never easy; you don’t know who anyone is or where anything is. You are the NEW girl and yes its going to take a while for people to remember your name. Luckily I have come accustomed to this procedure from previous work experiences and learnt ways to get noticed and to move on up the ladder. By all means, I’m no genius but let me say it definitely pays to put yourself forward.

Most internships and this one consist of a lot of scanning, errands and tidying but if you pick up things fast, offer to go the extra mile you will be given more responsibility. I’m still shocked when I see girls hide away from jobs. Even if it’s boring, it’s just plain rude. I am one of those people that even if something isn’t that fun surely it would be better to be doing something that watching the clock tick slowly round. This attitude really does help; it gets you noticed and boosts you up the little ladder of internship success. My main duties were tidying the show room, checking and sending out samples to press, scanning coverage and managing folders to ensure efficiency in the office. I then got to pull samples to brief for shoots, call up press to invite them to press days, help with reports, create online look books and prep for upcoming press days. It was really exciting to see stylists come in and out of the office for the likes of Stooshe, Little Mix, Caroline Flack, Amelia Lilly and many more! This helps build up your confidence, see how PR works with press, understand branding and event organization.

Little Mix wearing some of Boudoir PR's clients in Fabulous Mag. 

Always time to spend.

Some of the brands I worked on I hadn’t heard of before but were so cool I brought into them. I am already a Missguided and Lipsy  so that was no issue but Galibardy, Dolly Bow Bow, Truffle Shuffle and Ciate are new found faves that I had never discovered. Galibardy sell statement jewellery that has been seen on the likes of Jessie Jay and Amelia Lilly. Dolly Bow is more vintage, hand crafted inspired pieces, my favourite being scrabble rings and jeweled collars. Truffle Shuffle sell vintage ts and accessories from Marvel comics to 80’s and 90’s TV retro for both men and women. Ciate is a beauty brand that sells gorgeous and funky nail varnishes from bold colours to nail cracking and bobbly paint. Other brands which were more luxury were Eric Bompard cashmere, Denise Manning bespoke jewellery, Fope, Goldsmiths, American Dream beauty and wow – so much more!  All the brands had such an identity and were gorgeous. Here are a couple of my buys from the brands I helped out on.

http://www.dollybowbow.co.uk/

http://www.dollybowbow.co.uk/

   
It seems the harder I work, the more luck I have.

I tend to have this tendency where when I get involved in a brand I get really obsessed. This paid to my advantage as when I spotted one of the brands (Galibardy ) in Amelia Lillys profile picture I grabbed some brownie points with the girls in the office. I also wowed a few others with my Photoshop skills editing an image for a press invite and my ability to work fast. People often say I am really confident but I get nervous and scared too. Ask me to make a phone call in front of everyone and I turn into a panic frenzy but I tend to push it aside and get on with it. I have learnt that people admire you more for mucking it up yet giving it a go rather than hiding out the back away from duties. Again, this helped and I was soon asked to do bigger tasks. My big finale was the AW Missguided press day which will follow in another post due to it being so lengthy J. I also made some cupcakes for the girls to say a big thank you for the welcoming hospitality during my stay. I branded the cupcakes with their company logo and they were so happy with them they  tweeted it about!

I am also pleased to announce I got offered a Beauty paid internship with the company which really shows hard work does paid off. Secretly, this is exactly what I set out to do so am thrilled the girls asked me to consider the position before alternative interviews took place. Sadly, the wage is not quite what I was expecting. I live rather far away so the cost to commute or to live in London is a bomb so I have a few options to look into before I make my decision.

I hope you enjoyed a brief insight into my internship at Boudoir. Even though lengthy I have only covered a thin layer of my time there. I could go on for hours on my day to day duties! In hindsight, I should have posted every day but I was just so exhausted so please accept my appologise. Has anyone else been doing any internships? I would love to hear about them!

K xx