LFF EDITS: HAPPY SHOPPER

I'm a strong believer in the power of retail therapy. Whilst you can't buy happiness, surrounding yourself with beautiful trinkets undoubtedly promotes a sense of wellbeing. Slogan t-shirts, bright nail polishes and mini-bags: just some of the frivolities I purposefully accumulate that bring an instantaneous smile to my face. For colour-pop nail polishes, my go-to brands are Rimmel, Barry M and Topshop (number 6.) In the fashion scape, Sophia Webster is the queen of witty accessories. Her colourful pop-art inspired designs are a favourite amongst the style editors and sit at the affordable end of the designer fashion scale (number 2.) For super fun ready-to-wear, Sophie Hulme reigns supreme, her polka dot playsuit is a practical but cute summer staple (number 1). Jewellery designer Jennifer Loiselle is a recent LFF discovery, expect kitsch but cool acrylic creations like the pink cherry earrings (number 5.) from her Tutti Frutti collection. Happy shopping! 

1. Sophie Hulme navy polkadot silk playsuit, Liberty London, £325. 
2. Sophia Webster Ida neon t-bar pumps, Net-a-porter.com, £260. 
3. Blue leather skirt, Warehouse, £60. 
4. Mya bag in gold, Boden, £59.40. 
5. Pink acrylic Cherry Crush earrings, Jennifer Loiselle, £45. 
6. Nails in Relapse, Topshop, £5. 

SIX OF THE BEST: SS14 JEWELLED FLAT SANDALS

I'm super excited sandal season has arrived. Whilst it isn't quite warm enough to go bare-legged just yet, you can certainly flaunt your toes with cropped denim jeans (I am buying a pair of ASOS Mom jeans) or tailored trousers. If last season's gladiator flats are looking a bit tired, now is time to invest in a shiny new pair of sandals before all the best styles sell out. The trend to work for SS14 is the chunky jewels - forgo delicate bohemian embellishments - bold rocks are the adornment of choice right now. And the great news is, the high street is nailing this summer trend, all bar one pair of sandals from my edit are priced below £100. Which is your favourite?

Top row L-R: Grey leather sandals with jewels, Zara, £59.99. Nude jewelled satin sandals, Next, £30. J.Crew embellished leather sandals, Net-a-porter.com, £200. 
Bottom row L-R: Bertie 'Jellow' black leather toe posts, ASOS, £69. 'Studio Punch' jewelled sandals in black, Clarks, £49.99. Steve Madden Habtat-S chunky crystal sandals, John Lewis, £69. 

LFF EDITS: BUBBLEGUM PINK FASHION

For SS14, bubblegum pink is having a major fashion moment. On the high street, Whistles leads the way with the trend, stocking shift dresses (no.4) , slogan sweaters, knits (no.2) and overcoats in Hubba Bubba hues. Avoid looking overtly girly by opting for clean lines, simple cuts and pairing with an uncomplicated colour palette of crisp white. This coming Sunday, Wallis launch their W Crimson collection which features a white leather biker jacket (no.1) and skirt (no.3) which would make the perfect co-ordinates for a candyfloss-coloured knit (who would have thought white leather could look so covetable?) Sneakers offer a fun way to inject the trend into your footwear - Superga’s candy pink Bergonia 2750’s (no.7) will bring a urban edge. Part of the latest Breakthrough Breast Cancer campaign collection, a £13.50 donation from the sale of each pair goes direct to charity, making for a guilt-free way to inject candy colour into your wardrobe (be sure to check out the rest of the chic & charitable collection on their website). What do you think of this trend? Will you be adding some bubblegum pink to your life for SS14?

1. White leather jacket, Wallis Crimson Collection, £195 (launches Sunday 13th). 
2. Mimi boxy knit, Whistles, £155. 
3. White leather skirt, Wallis Crimson Collection, £95 (launches Sunday 13th). 
4. Franki sleeveless shift dress, Whistles, £115. 
5. Valentino lace skirt, MatchesFashion, £1,385. 
6. Markus Lupfer t-shirt, The Outnet, £78. 
7. Begonia pink 2750 sneakers, Superga, £45 (£13.50 donation to Fashion Targets Breast Cancer) 

DISCOVERING NATURAL BEAUTY PRODUCTS WITH URBAN RETREAT

Last week I attended a fab event hosted by Urban Retreat focussed on natural beauty products. I have become a bit of a health-junkie of late; when I met my cousin for a catch-up over a green juice I had the sudden realisation that I'd morphed into one of those 'LA-types' - spirulina, smoothies and superfoods - you name it, I'm trying it! Instinctively, now I want to learn how my beauty regime can be infused with natural goodness too. A few natural beauty ranges stood out for me at the UR event, here are my favourites:

There's nothing worse than the chemical-laden 'biscuity' fragrance of fake tan, so Tan Organic is an exciting new discovery for me. This organic tan brand creates a golden glow without harsh chemicals and residual scent, I tested the tanning oil overnight and it is 100% fragrance free - incredible! 

Douvall's retail a range of Argan Oil based products. Sourced from the kernals of the Argan tree, this miracle ingredient is raved about by the beauty editors. Alicia Douvall, the brains behind the brand, is passionate about her product and it was great to talk through the range with her. Alicia gave me a sample of the Argan Oil bronzing lotion to try and it's completely gorgeous - it gave my skin a plump, moisturised sheen with a super-subtle hint of shimmer. 

We've all heard of drinking your probiotic's, but did you know they can enhance your beauty regime too? Aurelia probiotic skincare harnesses this anti-aging goodness; the Miracle Cleanser has received rave reviews. The brand also boasted prettiest packaging in the room, neatly boxed in blush pink with the sweetest ribbon-tied bamboo muslin cloths. I have tried & tested the cleanser - packed with beautiful ingredients including chamomile, eucalyptus, rosemary and bergamot it has a lovely herbal scent - and left my skin feeling squeaky clean whilst soft and plump. 

The Natural Kitchen & Urban Retreat laid on superfood-laden spread at the event, with nutrient rich kale and squash salads and seared salmon steaks. I sipped on a great wheatgrass green juice which gave me a much needed post 9-5 energy-boost. Over the next few weeks I will be trialling and reporting back on more natural products available at Urban Retreat, I have since sampled the gorgeous  Hydrating Balancing Aroma neroli flower face oil by Delarom Paris and it is a wonder product: non-greasy, residue-free and a beautiful bedtime moisturiser. A big thanks to Urban Retreat and all the brands involved in the event for introducing me to the wonders of natural beauty products. I'll let you know which become my beauty staples!

LFF INTERVIEWS: TODD LYNN

Recently, I was lucky enough to put my questions to fashion designer Todd Lynn following his successful autumn/winter 14 catwalk show. Todd shared some amazing insights into the development of his latest collection, including the pivotal role played by a green highlighter! Continue reading after the jump for the inside scoop on Todd Lynn AW14

LFF EDITS: SS14 SLOGAN SWEATERS & MIDI SKIRTS

If you only buy two pieces this season, make them the slogan sweater and a midi skirt. Seen in the spring/summer collections of Christopher Kane, Sister by Sibling and Alexander Wang, the strongly-worded sweat top captures the zeitgeist of the moment. Style the trend ala Christopher Kane and wear yours loosely over a midi skirt (don't tuck it in) for a relaxed look with a subtle nod to the 1950s. For footwear, modernise your midi with the trainer of the season: the skate shoe. There's a plethora of versions on the high street (try Gap) so you can take your pick. If trainers aren't your bag then a point-toe shoe will add polish and elongate the leg. To get you started, here's three slogan sweater + midi skirt looks I've put together for every budget:

£: A la mode sweater, Next, £24. Organza check skirt, Warehouse, £40. Checked skate shoes, Topshop, £20. 

££: Fleur sweater, Whistles, £75. Pink midi pencil skirt, Zara, £35.99. Navy stripe flats, Next, £26. 

£££: Christopher Kane Flower sweater, Net-a-porter.com, £330. Carven rose print midi skirt, Net-a-porter.com, £670. Ramone tie dye skate shoes, Penelope Chilvers, £149.

LFF'S LONDON: MARCH INSTAGRAM DIARY

I love putting together these instagram diary posts, it gives me a chance to reflect on the past couple of months and all the fun stuff I've crammed into my diary. According to my recent feed I spent the majority of Feb and March eating, which I make no apologies for! Here's what I have been up to:

[Left] I like to take a trip round the designer floors of London's department stores and snap inspirational pieces/looks. This colour pop Kenzo-clad mannequin caught my eye on a recent trip to Harvey Nichols - SS14 is all about the statement sweater.

[Right] I have been visiting Franco Manca pizza chain for some time now, thanks to an introduction from my foodie sister. They serve amazing sourdough base pizzas for less than £10 a pop - the romanesco and raddichio combination has been one of my most notable eats of late. 

[Left] I've been searching for the perfect pair of faux leather leggings for a while now. Being a 34 inch leg, I need extra long leggings, which can be hard to find on the high street. So when I found this pair of pleather leggings on ASOS for £18 I snapped them up. I'm really happy I made the purchase, they are super-comfy, the perfect size and could almost pass as the real deal.
[Right] I spotted Lily Kamper's jewellery in the showrooms at London Fashion Week. Combining semi-precious stones and marbled rocks with polished metal settings, the collection has a luxurious feel with surprisingly low price tags. 

[Left] SockShop sent me these gorgeous Azure blue socks from their ColourBurst collection. I've obsessed with good-quality socks and thanks to the 90% cotton fabric mix these feel soft underfoot and wash great. 
[Right] Since moving to London, I've discovered a new-found love for brunch. I like the sense of occasion and leisure that comes with a lazy brunch. My boyfriend and I went to Milk in Balham at the weekend and had a super delicious start to the day, sharing sweetcorn fritters with halloumi, avocado and tomato sauce and smoked salmon on sourdough with poached eggs. Expect big queues though - this place is popular and tiny! 

[Left] Some noteworthy sweet treats of late! London-dwelling ice cream lovers should check out Lab G in Brixton Village for fresh italian gelato in experimental flavours. I enjoyed a waffle cone with a scoop of peanut butter ice-cream - the salty/sweet balance was perfect. 
[Right] A well-made tiramisu is a special pleasure. I had a lovely brunch and cake date with my girlfriends in Esca deli on Clapham high street. Their sweet offering is incredible, you have to visit!