Friday, November 29, 2013

// Photoshoots

We recently teamed up with some amazingly talented companies to create a stunning styled shoot in the absolute best location!

The photos of the shoot are soon to be released on Gwen's Bridal Bazaar and we absolutely can NOT wait!

Without giving too much away, here's a sneaky peek at the amazing Laura Power's images from the day and a quick phone shot of the beautiful dress we had the pleasure of making...




I can't wait to tell you how i got all my inspiration for the dress once the shoot is released! Its a good un!

xoxo


Sunday, November 24, 2013

Ethical Party Outfit Inspiration

Sarah here again! :) I can't believe how quickly this year how flown by - how is Christmas party season upon us already?! It seems like just yesterday it was June but apparently the calendar I'm using is way off because it's almost December people and that means you're probably starting to think about what you're going to wear to all of those Christmas dos you've been invited to. 

If you're anything like me you're also starting to panic a little bit about it but worry not, I'm here to help! :)

At this time of year the shops are full to bursting with fast fashion - cheap to buy but also cheaply made - but these pieces aren't always designed to last. Instead of buying a dress that you'll wear once and then realise it's falling apart slightly (we've all been there right?) I've put together a couple of outfit choices made entirely from ethical fashion pieces. It can be done! :)

If you normally spend your money on throwaway pieces, I challenge you to buy something from an ethical retailer instead - boost your wardrobe and your karma! :)

First up I've put together a look for the bold among you - shorts! Patterns! Crop tops! Before you write this outfit off as unwearable or only for the skinny among you: those gorgeous shorts are high waisted and everyone knows that patterns are born to clash with each other. Don't be afraid to mix it up a bit this year (tights optional if you're brave enough to face the weather!).




I've also put together a look featuring a gorgeous (& flattering to most shapes!) dress, in case the thought of wearing shorts in December leaves you feeling a bit chilly. It's okay - I understand.


If you prefer not to wear real diamonds then try this quirky 'diamond' pair of earrings instead (I love these!). Add in a pair of vegan shoes, splurge on a 1940s clutch if you can afford it and you should have an outfit for every occasion :) 

What are you wearing to your Christmas party this year? If you're struggling to find ethical retailers to take your pennies then let me know in the comments and I'll do my best to find you something amazing. After all, everyone deserves to look amazing no matter what the occasion, right? :)

Love

Sarah

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Dress mess...

In my fairly short time of designing wedding dresses, I've had a lot of brides that were last minute panickers... as far as I can tell, it's mostly stemmed from that budget dress they've had on order.

This post is pretty close to my heart and is as much about throwaway fashion as it is about weddings, because it's not all weddings I've had this problem with! 

Maybe it's because I'm a massive perfectionist or maybe because I was taught to make couture, either way I now find it very hard to shop (especially on-line) as I scrutinize the quality of the clothing. I'm even seeing more and more brands who's quality is dropping but the prices certainly aren't! As much as I'm a lover of the ethical, budget always comes in to play and now an again I will opt for the not so well made cheap piece to add to my wardrobe but where ever possible I will save to purchase a top quality garment as in the long run, it's much better value for money.

On this subject, if there is a ever a time to not cheap out on a garment - I would suggest your Wedding dress! This week reminded me of this little nightmare and if I can ever give you some advice - it is this... Do not buy your dress on-line! 

Granted - there may be some success stories with Brides who have bought their dress cheaply on-line and had the best dress they can imagine - but more often than not I get the last minute panickers who have ordered their dresses only to be completely gutted at the quality of the garment, the fabrics and the fit.

A few months back, BBC's 'Fake Britain' took a look at the sale of counterfeit wedding dresses on-line, this is what was said  Brides think they are buying what they see in the pictures, but they are not, these dresses are only available from official stockists of the particular designer…The fake dresses are made for pennies from lining material or something equally as cheap, seams and stitches are often unfinished and they mostly arrive with no underlay; meaning it falls like a sack.” 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news girls but if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is!

Getting your dress made you can choose and see the quality of your fabrics, you can watch your dress coming together, change any little bits (if your as fussy as I am strap width is always a biggy!) and you can relax knowing its going to fit you perfect. Even buying from a reputable shop - you can guarantee the quality and know you have some insurance if anything were to go wrong.

So please, no matter how nice the picture looks - don't buy your dress on-line! Get it right the first time and don't end up spending more than you bargained for.

xoxo

Saturday, November 9, 2013

A Round Up of Ethical Fashion Blogs

Hola Ears & Whiskers readers! :) It's Sarah here, the newest member to the E&W blog. For my first post I thought I'd start simple and do a round up of the sewing and ethical fashion blogs that I like to read - after all, everyone loves to find new blogs to read, right? :)

First up: Ms Wanda's Wardrobe. Billed as 'the home of sustainable and ethical fashion', Ms Wanda's Wardrobe also has a directory of ethical brands and blogs, which is really helpful when trying to find ethical brands to shop from :)


Second we have What Katie Sews. Katie originally blogged her sewing explorations on her main blog, What Katie Does but started to enjoy it so much (sew much? Ha) that she started a new blog just for her projects. Her progress is amazing - it's so fun to see what she's going to tackle next :)

Next up is Style Is... (who also wrote a post on ethical fashion inspiration, I'll be checking out those other links pronto!). This blog is super varied and always has something interesting to read on it :)
Emma writes Adore, reflect, sustain. She actually ran some ethical fashion workshops this year, which is pretty cool. Emma doesn't just write about ethical fashion, she covered the whole spectrum of ethical living. She has an ethical brand directory as well - useful!

Jana writes Clothes, Camera & Coffee - a fashion blog mostly focused on second hand and vintage clothing - my kind of blog! :)
E&W is based in Cardiff (you can pop it and see Sophie at Hubbard's Cupboard in the Castle Arcade if you're ever in town, just don't blame me if you end up buying something, the shop is full of irresistible bargains!) and so is our next blogger, Elena from Seamless. Not just a seamstress, Elena has gone one step further and pledged not to buy any new clothes this year - eek!

& finally we can't really mention ethical clothing without talking about Who Made Your Pants - an ethical duo making the world better, one ethical pair of pants at  a time. While they don't have a blog (yet! Fancy starting one, girls?) they do have a Twitter account so follow them there if you fancy :)

I'm always keen to follow new blogs (especially fashion blogs!) so if you have any favourites then pop them in the comments and I'll take a look! :) Who have I missed?

Love

Sarah x