Charlotte Tilbury – my must have products

| Lipstick and late nights

We all know that I’m the biggest fan of budget beauty and drugstore brands, because let’s face it, there’s nothing like the buzz of those rare occasions when you spend a fiver on a product and discover that it delivers every bit the same quality as it’s high-end alternative. I absolutely love a bargain and will go for the cheaper alternative nine times of of ten if there’s an option, but like most of you I’m sure, I have a weak spot…a crush if you will, and her name is Charlotte.

If the urge to splurge is upon me, Charlotte Tilbury has fast become my go to for true luxury. The high-end price tag is always completely justified, from the quality and powerful efficiency of the ingredients through to the insanely luxe and covetable packaging, in my books, anything CT is guaranteed to please. I am HOOKED.

For those of you (and I doubt there are many) still holding virgin status when it comes to Charlotte Tilbury, I’ve put together my top six must have, can’t live without products to get you started.

Now let’s get one thing straight – this was NOT an easy task because everything Charlotte touches is absolute gold (literally) and there are many other products that I also adore, but these picks have made the list because they’re universal, easy to use and can be incorporated in to anyone’s daily routine – no MUA experience necessary.

THE BASE…

Charlotte’s Magic Cream – 15mls, £25.

Bold statement time – this is probably the best moisturiser I’ve ever used – and believe me when I say that I have tried and tested a LOT of skin care in my time. Seriously though, whether it’s the combination of the eight ‘supercharged’ ingredients’ or some sort of witch-craft, this cream will instantly transform your skin and provide the best base imaginable for applying makeup. Skin feels plumper, smoother and immediately more nourished, plus it’s got SPF too! I can’t stress it enough when I say that I LOVE this product.

Flatlay photo of an open pot of the Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte's Magic Cream

The fabulous thing about shopping at CT is that most products are available in travel sizes which is always a winner for me. With skin as temperamental as mine, there’s nothing worse than forking out a fortune on a product that doesn’t work for you, so this way you can try a smaller size before you buy.

Charlotte’s magic cream is also available in 30mls (£49) or 50mls (£75). I bought this cream as part of the super cute Bright Magic Skin Glow skincare duo set, which bags you the 15ml Magic Cream alongside a full size Brightening youth glow for just £40 – an absolute steal! Speaking of Brightening Youth Glow…

Brightening Youth Glow Primer – 40mls, £39.

While this priming product may seem to be aimed at more mature skin, I’d recommend it for anyone with tired, dull or uneven skin that craves a moisture boost. Packed with some of my favourite ingredients, including rosehip oil and niacinamide, Youth Glow contains a cocktail of skin clearing, radiance revealing beauty faves which will not only give you an immediate glow, but will work improve skin tone over time.

Apply liberally and allow to soak fully in for instantly luminous skin that blurs imperfections and pores, leaving skin ready for flawless foundation application.

Top Tip: The soaking in part is important as I find that applying foundation too soon afterwards can lead to a little separation when the two products mix.

THE FACE…

Airbrush Flawless Foundation – 30mls, £34.

If I had to choose one foundation to wear for the rest of my life, there’s a strong chance that it would be this (Fenty Pro Filt’r is hot on the chase with this one!).

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush flawless foundation in shade 3

Sweatproof, waterproof, basically lifeproof, and good for your skin too..?

Sounds to good to be true right? Well believe it, because this foundation really does have it all. The reason it’s so completely fabulous is that it’s a ‘hybrid’ product, made with both cosmetic finish and being awesome for your skin in mind in equal measures. Airbrush Flawless is infused with ‘Charlotte’s Magic ingredients’, (click the link for the technical jargon) all aimed at refining the skin, minimising pores and wrinkles and boosting hydration.

As for the finish, it’s soft focus, demi matte, weightless and really will last all day. While described as full coverage, personally I’d say it’s more medium – full, but it makes your skin look so good that the coverage is ideal anyway. Fabulously glowy when combined with either the Brightening Youth Glow or the classic Wonder Glow Primer.

Beauty Light Wand Spotlight – 12mls, £29.

It would be plain rude not to include a highlighter in this list and CT has got us covered with the Beauty Light Wand ‘Spotlight’. Super easy to apply thanks to the soft cushion applicator which evenly disperses the liquid product, it’s ideal for dabbing on to the high points of the face and then either simply patting in to the skin with finger tips or gently buffing in with a complexion brush.

The finish is dewy, light reflecting and just bloody gorgeous.

I have this in the shade ‘Candlelit’ which suits my pale skin perfectly. This came as part of the Hollywood Beauty Glow kit (£30) which also includes a 15ml Wonderglow primer, so this is a fab way of saving money and trying out a couple of new products at once, but the Beauty Light Wand is available to buy individually in all six shades (Pillow Talk I’m coming for you next!).

THE EYES…

Eyes To Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadow – 7mls, £22.

Cream eyeshadows…always a bit of a risk, right? I’m always a little dubious of the staying power and resistance to creasing, but when I saw these little babies from CT, I knew it had to be worth a go.

The shade ‘Rose Gold’ instantly caught my eye as it’s been popping up on social media everywhere lately. Guaranteed to not only be awesome for making my dark blue eyes pop, this was sure to be an essential for my kit for use on clients if it delivered what it promised to when it came to wear.

IT DID NOT BUDGE ALL DAY LONG.

The product is a little more sheer than expected given that the promo videos make it look like one effortless swipe gives a full colour pay-off, (but then don’t they always?!) but a couple of layers later and it is simply gorgeous. Easy to blend with either finger tips of a soft crease brush, this product is definitely a winner for me.

THE LIPS…

Pillow Talk Matte Revolution Lipstick – £25.

Ok, it’s time to address the elephant in the room here. Yes I blogged about the Matte Revolution lipsticks before (read the full review HERE) and while I liked them a lot, I didn’t LOVE them, but I’m going to put my hands up and say that I am fully converted, and it’s all thanks to this shade.

Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in the shade Pillow Talk

The iconic Pillow Talk. It’s a worldwide bestseller for a reason.

I always adored this universally flattering shade – like no BS, it suits absolutely everyone, however the reason that it wasn’t a full on knock out for me was that i felt it needed a bit of layering and that it didn’t give me all day wear. HOWEVER… since switching up my lip prep routine and adding the right liner, it’s safe to say that I’m as obsessed with it as the rest of the nation. I mean if it’s good enough for the mighty Jamie Genevieve to wear on her wedding day, it’s good enough for me.

Top Tip: Yes the CT liner is fab and is the obvious choice to pair it up with, but if you’re looking to save a buck or two, the Barry M Lip Liner in shade ‘Russet’ will do the job just as well, and for only £2.99 😉

What are your favourite Charlotte Tilbury products? Leave a comment and let me know!

Until next time,

B x

ABERDEEN RESTAURANT WEEK AT SIBERIA BAR & HOTEL [Ad]

| Lipstick and late nights

Over the years that I’ve been frequenting Siberia, it has had many incarnations, all of which have at some point or another provided me with somewhere to eat, drink, have one too many a late night, and even work in. I must have eaten there a hundred times, but when I was invited to review the menu for Aberdeen Restaurant Week I knew I’d be trying something new and exciting, because if there’s one thing that this bar does well, it’s constantly bringing fresh new tricks to the table.

If you’re yet to get the low down on what Restaurant week is all about, head to my previous blog post which gives you a full overview HERE.

As one of Aberdeen’s most popular and thriving bars located right in the centre of lively Belmont Street, I’d find it hard to believe that there are too many of you that have never visited before, but just in case, here’s the vibe.

With a laid back, open and airy industrial feel, paired with modern furnishings and quirky-cool features, the atmosphere is always on point here, and the bar staff to match.

This bar and eatery is just as popular on a Saturday night when the vast array of flavoured vodka shots are flowing as it is on a chilled sunny afternoon while friends enjoy cold cocktails on on the outdoor terrace.

They will be offering both a separate two courses for £10 lunch, and three courses for £20 dinner option, and wanting to sample as much as possible, we showed up for dinner on a relaxed Monday evening. With a full menu change only recently having taken place, it was fab to see some brand new off menu items coming together to create this ARW offering.

The Starters…

If there is only going to be one veggie option, veggie haggis and oatcakes is a bloody good one in my books. Although missing the promised shredded beetroot which would have added a nice tang, the dish was still well balanced and tasty, with just the right amount of spice coming through in the kick of an aftertaste. A little whisky sauce would have gone a long way to counteract the natural dryness of the oatcakes, but overall this was a flavoursome starter that I would happily eat all over again.

Predictably Grant went for the Cullen skink, an all time favourite of his – so much so that he considers himself to be quite the connoisseur, so his opinion is usually pretty bang-on when it comes to this Scottish classic.

Adding a twist, the smooth creamy sauce was served solo in jug, ready for pouring over a freshly cooked fillet of smoked haddock which was resting on top of a pile of leeks and potatoes. Listed as being served with popcorn clams (which I mistakenly presumed to be a crunchy wee battered version, no?!) I was informed that the clams were actually blended in to the soup, which seems a little redundant, but didn’t make this starter any less tasty. Having a wee taste of Grant’s, I fully agreed with him with the smokiness and seasoning was absolutely on point, and the fish well cooked, flaky and delicious.

The Mains…

This is the part where I get to be all smug and pretend that I opted for the super healthy choice by going for the Scottish Bhudda Bowl – a generous bowl filled with Scottish pearl barley, root veg, whisky sauce and veg crisps. This certainly was a feast for the eyes and the presentation as with everything else so far was beautiful. Spiralled carrot and crisp beetroot made for great texture while the barley was wholesome and filling.

Expecting creamy whisky sauce which is a fave of mine and would have transformed this from a lunchtime to an evening dish, what came with it was more of a mustard vinaigrette, which for me, a bit like the avocado, didn’t really work with it. It was also a bit of a shame to see the same mini turnips that had featured on the starter, which means that if you are vegetarian, you are being served the same element twice, but overall this was still a flavoursome and healthy dish.

Grant chose the Breaded Lemon Sole, and purely on sight, this is a mouth watering plate. Crispy, golden fish resting on top of the chunkiest handcut chips, served with tangy home made tartare and roasted tomato ketchup, and a pea puree.

Siberia have taken a classic fish and chips and elevated it to restaurant standard with care and attention. For once me and my big gob have absolutely nothing else to say about this, other than that it was absolutely Delicious! I predict that this will without a doubt be the best seller during ARW.

The Desserts…(and cocktails)

Now I’m not normally one for a dessert, but one thing that lures me in every time is a sticky toffee pudding. This homemade pud with lashings of toffee sauce served with a quenelle of salted caramel ice cream hit the spot perfectly. It would have been rude not to go the whole hogg and try out a cocktail too, so for me it was the Mint choc chip to wash it down with and round off the meal perfectly.

Why have an After Eight when you can have an After Eight flavoured cocktail, right?

Although fit to burst after his main, Grant rose to the challenge to bring you guys the most extensive review possible and tried out the Mocha profiteroles with vanilla pod ice-cream. Not being a coffee lover I avoided stealing a bite of this one, but he assures me was sweet with just the right amount of coffee induced bitterness. It was well flavoured and garnished beautifully with micro mint and toffee discs.

Grant chose the Elderflower French 75 (which I absolutely did have a taste of) to accompany his pudding. This fresh and tart cocktail worked perfectly to cleanse the palette at the end of the meal and cut through the sweetness of his cream filled dessert.

Don’t forget that Siberia is one of over forty local Restaurants taking part in the latest instalment of Restaurant Week by offering amazing menus and events throughout the week so to get all the goss and plan your eating journey for the week, head to www.aberdeenrestaurantweek.com.

Have a fabulous restaurant week everyone, and don’t forget to share your food journeys with us throughout the week by using the following hashtags:

#COMEDINEWITH US

#ARW2020

Until next time food lovers!

B x

*This blog post is in paid partnership with Aberdeen Inspired, but as always, all views are 100% honest and my own.

Aberdeen Restaurant Week is back! [Ad]

| Lipstick and late nights

Yes folks, once again it’s the time of year that every self-proclaimed foodie has been waiting for – Aberdeen Restaurant week is back, and it begins next week!

This means two things…

1. That I’m back as an ARW ambassador bringing you all of the latest recommendations and info that you need to eat your way through the week in the most efficient and indulgent way possible.

2. My so-called ‘health kick’ is about to go out the window so fast that my postie had better be on the look out for my will power as it soars past his head first thing on Monday morning. Diet starts March…?!

What’s it all about?

Just in case you’ve been hibernating for the last couple of years (and I wouldn’t blame you in this bloody weather), here’s a quick overview of what it’s all about.

Biannually, Aberdeen Inspired unite the food loving locals of Aberdeen by bringing us a week long celebration of dining out at a plethora of our finest indigenous establishments. During the 5th instalment of this wonderful belly-busting week, you can expect to see some familiar offers, two lunch courses for £10 or three dinner courses for £20 at no less than FORTY-SIX of our finest venues – wow!

The aim is to support local businesses by giving the people of Aberdeen a chance to try some truly outstanding menus at an even more incredible price. Let’s face it, we’re all guilty of frequenting the same old reliable places time and time again, so what better an opportunity to discover a new favourite than during ARW.

What’s on offer?

As well as the return of the awesome £10 and £20 menus, several venues are once again offering Tasting menus and afternoon teas. As always you can check out the full line-up and find out who’s offering what by heading to www.aberdeenrestaurantweek.com to find out.

As if all of these amazing offers weren’t enough to have us full to the gunnels already, Aberdeen Inspired are mixing it up this year with a few new tricks up their sleeves…

What’s new?

Adding an interactive and fun element to the lineup, you can now sign up for cookery classes at selected venues, such as whipping up an Italian storm at PASTA, located within Aberdeen market, or mastering the art of curry making at Namaste Dehli. How exciting!

The one that has really got people talking this time around is the newly introduced FOOD TOURS.

Partnering with Grampian Escapes and Tours, ARW is bringing you a unique street food experience where you”ll take a two hour tour around the gastronomic world, sampling delicious dishes from four separate eateries along the way.

We were lucky enough to be treated to a first glimpse of the food tour, so here’s how it looks!

Starting at The Pigs wings for some deli delights, you’ll venture on to The Latin Way for some tasty tacos, followed by a warming caribbean curry at Tango Turtle, all wrapped up by some incredible ice cream at Mackie’s 19.2. How’s that for a great night out?!

The great thing about these tours is that you’ll be led by a lovely tour guide who’ll take you on a historical trip through Aberdeen’s most noted food facts, whilst introducing you to the faces behind the businesses so that you can hear the inspiration for all that they do straight from the horses mouth.

Tickets for these excursions are already selling fast, so be sure to snap yours up HERE before it’s too late!

This really is shaping up to be the best Restaurant week yet and and I can’t wait to spend the week sharing my experiences and top tips with you all week long. Keep up with me on Instagram for all of the drool-worthy food pics you can handle, along with my top recommendations for the hottest spots to dine out.

As always there are a host of other wonderful bloggers covering the event which you can check out here, so give everyone a follow to keep up with their foodie journeys too.

I’ll be officially reviewing Siberia Bar and Hotel this time around, so tune back in soon to see get the full scoop.

*Spoiler alert…it was fabulous!

Until next time (when I’ll probably be about a stone heavier..),

B x

[This blog post is in paid partnership with Aberdeen Inspired, but as always all views are honest and my own.]

IN REVIEW – NEW MENU AT THE BOBBIN [gifted]

| Lipstick and late nights

Scream pubs, as they were formerly known, have always had a special place in my heart, spawning from my days working in one while I was at uni in Leicester. Reminiscing about those good old days always conjures memories of the age old classic, the beer and a burger deal; or ‘pound a pint’ nights where you would down questionable pitchers of warm Fosters on a Wednesday night with your flatmates for a laugh, and turn up at uni the next day feeling rough as hell on a weekly basis.

It’s safe to say that when it came to food, these student bars that we all knew and loved were best known for good honest, cheap and cheerful pub grub at best, but it seems that these days things have evolved a bit, especially at The Bobbin in Aberdeen.

Exterior of The Bobbin, a student pub in Aberdeen

The Bobbin, now housed under the Stonegate Pub Company, is definitely the pub of choice for Aberdeen uni goers, but that isn’t to say that the clientele isn’t varied there, I mean yes there’s the obvious student presence made identifiable by various society logos emblazoned on to the back of hoodies wherever you look, but you’ll also find a mix of locals and visitors alike frequenting just as often.

Usually sister venue The Triple Kirks is our pub of choice when we’re in the mood for some no-frills pub grub, purely down to the convenience of the location, but when I was asked to pop along and check out the new menu at The Bobbin, predictably I jumped at the chance to make the trip to King Street and relive some of my (long gone) uni days and try some tasty food at the same time.

The Menu…

Predicting the usual line up, burgers, fish and chips etc, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the menu really has had quite the revamp. Of course you’ll still find those fab meal and a drink offers that keep the students coming back time and time again, but it really felt like the offerings were somewhat more grown up now. Dare I even say, more sophisticated..?!

Something that I’ve noticed pre-menu change was that they were really upping their game when it comes to vegan and veggie options, so I was over the moon to see that the new menu hadn’t broken the trend and that the offering was more extensive than ever, winner!

Starters/Sharers…

If it’s a choice between starters and deserts, I’m going starter every time, guaranteed, I’m a savoury gal at heart. The only issue can be choosing just one sometimes, so I’m a huge fan of sharers that allow me to get my greedy mitts on the most types of food possible. The Bobbin’s menu now offers a selection of ‘bites’ – small plates ideal for sharing, and at 3 for £9 (or 5 for £14) it would have been rude not to have given a few of these a whirl.

An even bigger plus point is that four out of the eight options available are vegan/veggie, which made for a tough choice given that we’re used to settling for the one lonely meat-free dish in on the vast majority of menus!

Here’s what we went for…

  • Veggie nuggets with sweet chilli sauce, pomegranate and sesame seeds.
  • Jackfruit hash brown bars with Violife cheese and spring oniion.
New menu item at the Bobbin Aberdeen, cod goujons with mayo.
Cod goujons with mayo.

Veggie nuggets with sweet chilli sauce, pomagranate, sesame seeds and spring onions. Well I could have eaten just about a hundred of these guys. These crispy little bread-crumbed nuggets, Quorn-like in texture, were an absolute treat. The sweetness of the pomegranate paired with the spiciness of the sauce gave this plate a real kick, and the dish felt light and fresh thanks to the bed of salad. This was a winning plate for sure!

Can we also take a moment to appreciate the presentation of not only this, but all of the plates that were set in front of us? We almost forgot that we were at The Bobbin and not somewhere much more high-end for a moment there!

Jackfruit hash brown bars with Violife cheese and spring onion. Because who doesn’t love hash browns, right? Especially when smothered in vegan favourite of the moment, bbq jackfruit. In my experience, jackfruit can be very easy to get wrong, and I’ve had a several versions in the past that were nothing short of bland and tasteless, However The Bobbin came through yet again with a delicious punchy sauce that offset the hash browns and tangy vegan cheese perfectly. Another winning plate!

Cod goujons with mayo. As much as we eat vegan/veggie about 95% of the time, we stretch to fish on the odd occasion, and on this particular occasion, these cod goujons were calling out to us. Wrapped in crisp, tasty batter, these chunky cod goujons were yet another success, especially with the chilled mayo for dipping. The only thing that would have really topped it off would have been a wedge of lemon to squeeze all over, but I’m really picking at faults here.

It’s safe to say that the starters went down a storm, having left not a single scrap behind, and our expectations for the mains were now suitably raised.

The Mains…

With mains such as the double beef pitstop pie, plant based tikka masala, budha bowls and even and entire mac and cheese section, the menu offers flavours from around the world, but it was the old american classics that drew us in this time, the carb craving was real and had to be satisfied.

Here’s what we had…

Louisiana Chick’n burger with a burger cheese slice, and a side of onion rings. (VG). This sizeable burger was Grant’s choice, but obviously I had to have a taste for the sake of the review… served with fries, this vegan ‘chicken’ burger coated in southern fried spices was tasty, juicy and satisfying, as were the generous portion of crunchy onion rings on the side. Grant went with the ‘Keep it simple’ option – iceberg lettuce, chopped onion and gherkin and vegan mayo, but you can also choose the ‘Smoky soya sloppy joe’ topping – with red pepper and sesame houmous, spinach and cheese, sounds delish!

Moving Mountains hotdog loaded with mac & cheese and angry fries (V/VG). Oh boy…was I beginning to think that my eyes had been bigger than my belly when ordering this gargantuan beast of a hotdog? Absolutely. Was I going to eat every last bite of it anyway because it was just that bloody good?

You know it. Served in a beetroot bun, smothered in creamy mac and cheese and topped with ketchup, mustard and crispy onions, this was quite possibly the best and most authentic tasting meat-free hotdog I’ve had. If there’s one thing I miss since going veggie, it’s a good old fashioned hotdog, but this one ticked every box and could quite easily have been the real thing. Man was I happy! Opting for angry fries (topped with stilton and Franks RedHot sauce, thus making my meal non-vegan) this was a seriously tasty plate of food, and satisfied my junk food craving perfectly.

You meat eaters will be happy to know that a regular pork version is also available, everyone’s a winner!

The Desserts…

Feeling pretty defeated by the large amount of food we had just consumed, but not quite ready to give up altogether, we settled for sharing a dessert, purely for the purposes of research you understand…

Cookie sandwich (V). As much as I wanted to give the mouthwatering vegan option a go – a chocolate salted caramel torte (insert heart eyes emoji here!), I had cookies on the brain so the cookie sandwich won the race. Stuffed between two chocolate chip cookies were layers of peanut butter and Nutella, all drizzled with sweet caramel sauce, it looked a dream. Unfortunately here came my only criticism of the whole meal so far. I’d hazard a guess that this dessert comes pre-assembled and frozen, as I couldn’t physically get my fork to break through the cookie to take a bite, whoops!

Once given time to thaw a little, the combination was sweet and delicious, but I had imagined a warm soft cookie allowing the fillings to melt and ooze out, but guess what, I ate the lot anyway so I really can’t complain too much.

New menu item at the Bobbin Aberdeen, Cookie sandwich with icecream, nutella and caramel sauce.
Cookie Sandwich with peanut butter, nutella & caramel sauce.

All in all this had been a fantastic meal that came so close to being without fault, but one that surpassed my expectations by a mile, so it’s safe to say that we’ll be returning to the Bobbin sooner than is probably reasonable, even if only for that incredible hotdog…

Huge thanks to The Bobbin for having us along to try out the new menu. This meal was gifted but all views are 100% honest and my own.

Until next time,

B x

YOUR CHRISTMAS PARTY OUTFIT MADE EASY – WITH MUST HAVE DRESSES

| Lipstick and late nights

When it comes to Christmas, there are a few things that can raise the stress levels a little; trailing the crammed shops to find the perfect gifts, the epic task of erecting and decorating the tree just so, and one that I personally find has me pulling my hair out each year – finding the perfect dress for your Christmas night out.

With fast fashion and internet shopping at an all time high, it’s no wonder we see more and more of our local shops and boutiques closing every day, and it’s even less surprising when you show up to the party and three other people have on the same sparkly number that you bagged online for £20 and felt super smug about it. Awkward.

We hear the phrase fast fashion being thrown about more and more these days, but what exactly does that mean? Generally we’re talking about poorly constructed runway knock offs that warrant one or two wears before being stashed in the back of the wardrobe, never to be seen again until the next charity shop clear out.

‘What’s wrong with that you might ask? These garments are cheap? Right?’ They keep you up to date with the latest trends and it’s no big deal when you decide you don’t like them anymore because you only paid £20 for that balloon sleeved sweater, right?’ Then it’s off to the charity shop you go!

It really couldn’t be more wrong. Now I’m not saying that the British highstreet doesn’t have a wonderful and well earned place in today’s fashion market, Topshop, Zara, H&M and beyond all provide incredible gateways for young designers and form the building blocks in their journey towards a more couture based career path, and lord knows even I call upon Primark in times of need, but when did that clothes that for a moment we loved SO much, become so… disposable? 

Why is it that In a world that’s evolving to be more environmentally conscious every day; carrying our hydro flasks to avoid plastic waste, refusing to leave the house without a canvas shopping bag stashed in the bottom of our handbags, that we find it completely acceptable to treat time consumingly stitched, beautiful pieces of clothing as single use items?

If you ask me, we need to start treating our clothes with a little more respect. Hands up if you have a dress hiding in the back of your wardrobe that you’ve worn once to some glam event then never worn again? I know I’ve got a few of those! Well you’re not alone.

Let me give you a few facts…

  • 80 billion pieces of new clothing are consumed each year. How many of those do you think are worn only a handful of times? Global clothing production has doubled over the last 15 years, with garments being worn much less and being discarded much faster. 
  • There are over 40 million garment workers in the world, and the sad reality is that many of them to not share the rights or protections that people in the West do, meaning that they are often not only grossly underpaid, but subjected to poor working conditions. When we buy from stores that mass produce these cheap tems, we are affecting individual people, 85% of whom are women, usually trying to support their families.
  • Clothing made from polyester can take over 200 years to break down, so when we throw last seasons out of trend items away, they don’t just disappear. 
  • And then there’s the environmental factors. The fashion industry’s consumption of resources – like water and oil – is expected to double by 2030. The carbon emissions produced by textile factories are phenomenally high. Pretty scary, right?

So what do we mean when we talk about sustainable fashion? It’s about more than just using recycled materials, or picking up something from your local charity shop now and then. It’s about social change, and adjusting our attitudes when it comes to how we shop. It’s about fighting for workers rights to ensure that they are treated and paid fairly, and it’s about reducing the impact on the planet as much as possible when producing clothing.

There are so many ways that you can shop sustainably these days too, and it doesn’t mean making massive changes, you can start small – like having a quick Google for sustainable fashion brands. You can find local clothes swaps happening in your area where you can swap your unwanted items for someone else’s unloved treasure. We can shop on ebay and Depop where you can find some absolute gems in mint condition, and instead of spending hundreds of pounds on that stunning evening dress that you’re going to wear once then bury in the clothing graveyard.  You can HIRE an amazing dress from somewhere like Must Have Dresses, and dazzle in a gorgeous new outfit, every time you have to glam up, for a fraction of the price. 

Must Have Dresses are a dress hire company who have been flourishing online for some time, and have now opened a premises at 131 Rosemount place. Owner Vish and her team at this fabulous store can take all of the stress out of finding that perfect glitzy outfit without spending a fortune, and more importantly without the waste when that new dress inevitably finds its place at the back of the wardrobe immediately after its debut. 

Must Have Dresses also stock gorgeous jewellery by Varna Breeze

You can visit the store, either by dropping by or by making an appointment, and the lovely ladies at the store will act as a personal shopper, helping you try on and find the perfect showstopper to make sure you are the belle of the ball – and the best bit is, all you need to do is drop it off after the event and they’ll even dry clean it for you too – result! 

Must Have dresses stock unique and independent companies and designers such as Forever Unique, Amanda Wakely, Nadine Merabi and To The Nines, who created the absolute knockout of a dress that I’m pictured wearing below. Literally the fanciest thing I’ve ever worn and I felt like a bloody princess (apart the manky hair and peely wally face…you can’t have it all, right?!).

  • If only I had somewhere to wear this stunning To The Nines dress to!

With a stunning selection of handpicked dresses, there’s something for absolutely any occasion, from floor length sequins for rubbing shoulders with the beau monde at an awards do, to simple and chic two-pieces to attend an elegant wedding. I really can’t think of a single reason not to visit them this festive season.

Check them out at www.musthavedresses.com or on Instagram here.

Until next time,

B x