Sunday 29 December 2013

Detoxing with delicious homemade smoothies!

If like CarrieMe you have consumed too many calories this Christmas, upping on fruit and veg is a good place to start a New Year Detox!
We like smoothies for a yummy health kick but aren't fooled by all shop bought smoothies, they may look great but don't always offer great nutrition -  we've found some high street smoothie bars to pack in seriously large amounts of sugar and hidden calories.Investing in a blender will be the best purchase you make in those Jan sales!

Ensure there’s some protein in your homemade drinks. Tip - Eating protein at the beginning of the day has been shown to provide a more filling effect so people eat less throughout the day.
Green smoothies are filling, have few calories and provide a number of health benefits; antioxidants to boost your immune system also promotes weight loss. Burning off indulgent Christmas treats is easy peasy with green smoothies!
Green smoothies make sure you get plenty of protein and calcium. Common vegetables to use are spinach, avocado, lettuce celery, pineapples and peaches. Try this Green smoothie recipe which makes approximately 4 cups;

·         1 1/2 cups orange juice

·         2 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves, washed and dried

·         1 banana (fresh or frozen), cut into chunks

·          1 cup chopped frozen pineapple

·          1 pear, coarsely chopped

·          1-2 tablespoons honey (optional)

This smoothie certainly has a vibrant spinach colour but you can't taste it among the sweetness of the fruit. 

Home-made Green Smoothie
Not ready to ban chocolate completely from your detox? Try Raw cocoa, one of the most amazing super-foods rich in antioxidants - apparently more than berries, green tea, most fruit and vegetables… Wow! Try this healthy smoothie is a yummy chocolate orange taste;

·         4 oranges, juiced

·          2 tsp raw cocoa powder

·          2 bananas, peeled

·          1 mango, peeled and pitted

Simply blend the orange juice and other ingredients together and ta-da!
Healthy Chocolate Smoothie
 
The last ingredient CarrieMe recommend is Coconut. Coconuts are mainly made up of water, great for re—hydrating! Try out a Chocolate Coconut Smoothie by adding all the following ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth;
·         1 banana, peeled

·         2 pitted dates

·         1/2 coconut

·         2 tsp raw cocoa powder

·         1/2 lime, juiced

·         2 oranges, juiced

 
Chocolate Coconut Smoothie
So which one will you test out? CarrieMe would like to hear about your healthy concoctions, so get in touch if you have any interesting recipes!

Wednesday 25 December 2013

Stay ahead of the fash-pack - tips to shopping in Boxing Day sales

Hitting the shops this Boxing Day to see what the retailers have on offer? Good choice!

Usually, Boxing day and January sales feature current season markdowns but occasionally retailers also take out left over Summer stock to get sell off. Fashion trends tend to follow a pattern so it’s likely that some on-trend pieces for summer 2013 will be back in style for 2014.

Think tactically before hitting the shops. Department stores are a good idea as everything can be found under one roof. Head to Harrods in London for great designer discounts up to 60% off, this sale starting at 10am on Boxing Day and running throughout January 2014. For more designer bargains head to Harvey Nichols who will feature up to 50% off in store.

Can’t be bothered bashing through the crowds? Try theoutnet.com, who had a massive 70% off attractive designer goodies for Boxing Day last year, we predict the same this time round.

Preparation is key! Make a list of items you need for next season and bear in mind the following trends for S/S 2014:

Metallic clothing, metallic leather accessories, or pieces with a sheen and light reflecting surfaces. These kind of textures were popular on Catwalks for S/S 14. Look for sugary pastels - pale pink and baby blue on metallic surfaces. This trend shown on David Koma, Preen, Felder Felder and Burberry Prorsum. If you’re after a brand spanking new bag, something along the lines of the shiny Anthropology satchel for S/S will do the trick.
Cacharel, Felder Felder and Philosophy satchel
Another fabric to look for is lace. Pastel shades in lace like Burberrys or vibrant juicy pops of lace and croquet like L’Wren Scott or Bora Aksu’s collection.
Bora Aksu, Burberry and L'Wren Scott
Fringing detail on clothing and bags were large on the Catwalks, CarrieMe’s favourite were these Gucci bags!
Gucci S/S bags
Finally, we predict Japanese inspired silhouettes such as kimono shapes for sophisticated S/S style.

L'Wren Scott and Gucci S/S 2014
Have fun finding amazing bargains this Boxing Day, CarrieMe would love to see your top finds and hear how you got on! For more S/S Inspiration, click on our - Pinterest Page or Polyvore.

Revealed! - British Fashion Council - Fashion Fund Shortlist 2014

The British Fashion Council – ‘Fashion Fund’ which is excellently supported by Burberry, Clothing at Tesco, Debenhams, Harrods, Paul Smith, TOPSHOP and VOGUE gives one lucky designer a lucrative  mentoring support programme over a 12 month period, plus a generous  £200,000 in order to boost their profile and elevate their business.
Designers in the running for this much sought after spot include Emilia Wickstead, House of Holland, Mary Katrantzou, Osman, Peter Pilotto, and Zoe Jordan. Who gets your vote? It’s a tough one to choose! Such diverse designers but equally deserving of winning in terms of talent and design ability. High profile fashion guru Alexandra Shulman, who is the Editor of British Vogue and Chair of the Fund Committee has commented on the shortlisted candidates, to which she was very pleased with.
London based designer Henry Holland of ‘House of Holland’ definitely appeals to the younger, quirky crowd with iconic slogan t-shirts featuring tongue-in-cheek titles which cause controversy and street wear inspired prints on casual pieces.


House of Holland slogan T-shirts
Greek designer, Mary Katrantzou appeals to CarrieMe for bold colour and cool digital prints. The way in which Mary manipulations colour and pattern is spot on!

Mary Katrantzou S/S 2014
Zoe Jordan is a dark horse in with a running, a relatively new designer who launched her first collection in 2011. Zoe is one to watch, her signature style of slightly androgynous silhouettes with girly finishing's are easy to wear pieces with an edgy vibe.
Zoe Jordan A/W 2013
 
This prize is in its fifth year and will celebrate the 25th birthday of the British Fashion Council, the winner will be announced on January 28, 2014. This must be a very exciting time for these rising fashion stars. Keep posted for another blog on the results!

Wednesday 18 December 2013

Party in style this NYE with CarrieMe

Confused over where to go or what to wear this NYE? Don’t worry, CarrieMe have it covered!
After the heavy expense of Christmas, the thought of purchasing a whole brand new outfit for that New Year’s Eve party is a daunting task, so we recommend splashing out on statement accessories instead. After all, we do need to save some money for sipping on bubbles while seeing in the New Year!
The CarrieMe Party Gift Set shortlisted for luxury "Gift of the Year 2012” is all you need to glam up for NYE. Coming in six stunning shades, with an embellished ring of crystals, we have colour and glitz covered!
The Glamour Party Gift set can benefit you by being both practical and stylish. Accessories within the gift set are essentials for a special night out; a heart shaped bag hook and finder will solve your handbag dilemmas of how to find your keys or mobile at a moment's notice. No need to worry where to put your bag; simply hand it elegantly close by with this CarrieMe bag hook.
CarrieMe Glamour Gift Set
 
London is packed with a variety of unusual and alternative events for NYE and CarrieMe have picked our top three to welcome in 2014.
First up we have ‘Cafe de Paris’ in London’s west end, who are hosting a Great Gatsby themed party. An explosion of flapper revivalism occurred earlier this year when the Great Gatsby adaption movie released and we love the refined elegance of this Era. The 1920s style is very distinctive; beading and fringing with drop-waists, so chic!
Coordinating your CarrieMe’s to this type of fashion couldn’t be easier… Red rose tinted, fuchsia and that grey-ochre shad were heavily featured in the early 1920s. Jewellery was an important accessory usually pearls, studs or gems so the CarrieMe gift set is the perfect accessory.  
1920's dressing with the CarrieMe Glamour Key Finder and Bag Hook
Second up we recommend the sumptuous ‘Beaufort House’ in Chelsea, who are hosting “Le Bal Masque Chez” - a sophisticated masquerade themed evening. Celebrating all things French and fancy, this location is ideal for indulging in the five course meal offering, followed by drinks, dancing and live entertainment.
 
Masquerade mask and Beaufort House
 
Finally we have the ‘Roof Gardens’ on Kensington High Street. CarrieMe love this venue for impressive sky views of London and the stunning fireworks display on offer for NYE. Alluring you in with a mini bottle of champs, complementary wine and welcome canopies on arrival what more could a girl want! Oh and don’t forget to take some pictures in the photo booth – sounds like fun!
 
 
Rooftop Gardens NYE Fireworks
 
Rooftop Garden, Kensington London

Thursday 12 December 2013

Choosing the perfect man bag this Christmas!

We like to see men embrace fashionable bags with both functional and stylish elements, and lately we’ve noted many cool man bags in the fashion scene and also on the street. Fashion designers have really spoilt men for choice this season, releasing many exciting new styles for fall 2013.

Do you know a man in need of a style update this winter? CarrieMe appreciate when men make an effort to look dapper - a shabby old bag can make a man look so bad even if he is wearing a stylish suit. CarrieMe are all about creating accessories to organise the modern, cosmopolitan woman, but that doesn’t mean we forget about men too! We've rounded up the best inspiration to choosing the perfect man bag this season which will help stylishly organise any man.

With a focus on everyday bags that can be used for work; If carrying lots of paperwork, books, laptops etc. a tote style will work. Look to Hermes F/W ’13, or Louis Vuitton for inspiration. Choose a fabric like leather, something waterproof for winter with a good quality.

Louis Vuitton tote - Fall 2013
Classic colours such as black, grey or brown leather in this style for a traditional man, or something with a bright colour or print for a more quirky trend led man – tweed or plaid check is a nice for Fall. Try this Large Upcycled Leather and Wool Tweed Bag from Etsy for an affordable version of the Burberry tote.
Burberry tweed tote - Fall 2013

Etsy tweet tote - Fall 2013
The briefcase style bag was large on the Catwalks for Fall too, look at Mulberry, Bottega Vanetta and Ralf Lauren. For a more affordable option try this one from Aspinal or satchel leather briefcase from Etsy. With briefcases, the CarrieMe bag hook in Black or Silver works well in office scenarios. Not just for women, the CarrieMe bag hooks are used for laptop bags and man bags!
Aspinal briefcase
 
CarrieMe classic bag hook in black
Our final suggestion is the duffel bag - no longer so bulky and ugly, designers are making these sleek lightweight bags which are versatile; useful for work, travel and gym. Taking inspiration from Burberry Prorsum Fall 2013, we like this Herschel Novel bag which comes in loads of colours, in a canvas material.
Burberry, Herschel and Bottega Veneta - Fall 2013
Whichever option you choose, keep in mind the wearer’s wardrobe and look for something that will complement. To purchase the CarrieMe classic bag hook, please see here - http://www.carrieme.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=7

Tuesday 10 December 2013

'Art we Heart'

Like Oscar Wilde quoted “One should either be a work of art or wear a work of art”, being such art lovers at CarrieMe, we decided to collaborate with a contemporary artist in order to create limited addition accessory’s which fuse art with fashion. A unique concept that allows us to take art off the walls and carry it with us.
And so, hand painted bag hooks, and key/mobile Finders were created by London based artist’ Darren MacPherson. Darren’s ‘Fusion’ collection is full of colour. Individually hand-painted layers of vibrant splattering colours in acrylic and spray paint create an unique graffiti like texture that is bold and playful. No two pieces are the same, making these pieces an extra special gift for art and fashion lovers.

Darren MacPherson 'Autumn Sakura' painting
These visually engaging accessories are great statement pieces to express a confident personality. Not only appealing to the eye, you could say these mini master-pieces also help ‘master-our-pieces’ by keeping our valuables safe while out and about. They are beautifully useful! Each piece comes in a smart black gift box signed by the Artist.



CarrieMe 'Fusion' gift set in Purple
'Fusion' Heart Finder in Red

 
Wearable contemporary art is trending across the fashion and accessory industry at the moment. For example artist Delano Brown known as an ‘Art-repreneur’ began as a tattoo artist then moved onto garments, taking fashion pieces from Balenciaga and Givenchy and adding his signature hand-painted oversized flowers. His lively, luxury pieces have recently been commissioned for various celebrities.
Delano Brown - wearable art
Looking for some cool contemporary art, or to purchase a collectable piece from our Limited edition artist ranges? Be sure to check out our Pinterest page for inspiration.
For further information on our fantastic collaboration artist Darren MacPherson, click here - 'Facebook'

Thursday 5 December 2013

Diamonds are a girls best friend!

It's a general theme that  the bags we wear during fall are simple, darker and more practical than those we use through summer months. But it doesn’t all have to be dull! CarrieMe accessories can instantly glam up any handbag, in particular the ‘Elegant bag hook’.
Embellished with a double ring of sparkly crystals, this accessory is perfect for dressy girls night’s outs. An easy way to add some sparkle when going straight from the office to the bar after work. You could even use it for the office to brighten up your bag and desk.  
The CarrieMe 'Elegant' bag hook
The bag hook works by hooking your bag to the table, enabling you to hang your bag right beside you, whilst adding a touch of glamour. A small and flexible fashion accessory, the bag hook folds up and fits into the smallest of bags, so no worries about using it with this Fall’s IT bag – the clutch.
This bag hook looks best with a plain or minimalistic bag, which make the  gem and crystal elements of the bag hook stand out. Try this bag hook with a bag like this 'cinder rose' style from Marni Fall 2013.
Marni 'Cinder Rose' tote bag with the CarrieMe 'Elegant' bag hook
Big enough for the office, but too big for a night out? What about the Limited Edition Quilted Clutch Bag from Marks and Spencer, or rock the metallic trend with the shimmery lavender clutch from notonthehighstreet.com.
For a touch of lux, try a faux fur bag such as this one from ASOS. This would coordinate well with the wintery white elegant bag hook...
Our final find has an light reflective surface like the Elegant bag hook - the white cross body bag from ASOS.

'Notonthehighstree't metallic clutch, 'ASOS' faux fur bag, 'ASOS' cross body bag & 'M&S' Quilted clutch

December - THE month to dazzle! This double ring of crystals from the Elegant bag hook is sure to make you stand out from the crowd.  So what is your favourite Autumn bag?


Tuesday 3 December 2013

CarrieMe travels to Morocco with the Snowball bag hook!

With snow on the horizon, CarrieMe decided to make a final run for some sun before winter truly sets in! CarrieMe travelled to Marrakech last week - the hustling, bustling, vibrant city of Morocco.
The hotel riad which we stayed at was located in the old part of Marrakech, full of cool architectural buildings and traditional customs such as souks, horse and cart riding, music and other entertainment. The old city featured lots of character and colour. Our hotel was tucked away within a maze of intertwining narrow passageways.
Of course we made sure to travel in true CarrieMe style, with the Snowball bag hook! This bag hook came in very handy while in the hotel -see picture below, and while out and about. This suede and leather leopard print backpack was purchased while bartering in one of the local Marrakech markets, but you can buy a similar style from here.

CarrieMe 'Snowball Bag Hook' travels to Marrakech
CarrieMe took part in a camel trek through the Sahara desert which was a fun experience. Although sleeping under the stars in the Sahara desert, with only a tent and campfire for company was definitely the one place our CarrieMe bag hook was not needed on this trip!
On route to trekking in the Sahara we visited 'Ouarzazate' a small city in South Morocco. This peaceful place where the desert begins has a trail of impressive views of rich colours and ancient houses which have no electricity or running water. Ouarzazate is very hot in the summer around 50 degrees average, and very cold in the winter with snow sweeping down from the High Atlas mountain, we’re glad we got it just right visiting mid-seasons! We were led through a dusty trial of bewildering buildings, and what seemed like secret passageways - where episodes of the TV series ‘Game of Thrones’ were set, along with films ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and ‘Babel’.
 

On the last few days of the holiday we discovered a charming little chill out café come bar called ‘Momo Afrika’ in the new city, Gueliz. Momo Afrika served great tasty food - A mixture of Moroccan and Southern American. We would definitely recommend this place if you’re in the area! Can you spot the CarrieMe Snowball @Momo Afrika?

'Momo Afrika' Café/Bar


 

Thursday 28 November 2013

Funky and fun fur from Fendi. Retro faux fur from Anna Sui, Glam rock fur from Diane Von Furstenburg. Blushing baby pink fur from Saint Laurent…. Fake to real, fur reigned throughout Fashion Week Fall collections! From faux fur lapels for a subtle touch of the trend to full length furry coats. We saw Fendi feature bold and punky striped real fur coats, with fun furry handbag accessories. These colourful pieces are a cool, modern take on the classic fur trend. But at CarrieMe we’re all for fake, faux, or teddy bear! Luxurious, yet warm and practical, faux fur is becoming a classic winter staple.
'DVF', 'CarrieMe Snowball' bag charm, 'Anna Sui' Fake fur
 
Oooh the best part about Fall has to be the fashion! Why not update your handbag this season, an easy and subtle way to stay on trend using accessories, rather than investing in a full-on fluffy coat? Look to the Snowball from CarrieMe - this super-soft plush bag charm will not only update your bag but also doubles up as a bag hook. The bag hook is perfect for keeping our precious handbag and winter essentials safe while out and about this festive season. Too see more information on how the CarrieMe bag hook works, check it out on our website or Facebook!
'Fendi' Fall 2013/14 and the 'CarrieMe Snowball'
'Saint Laurent' Fall 2013 and the 'CarrieMe Snowball' in Winter white and Ebony black.
 

Thursday 14 November 2013

Take the wieght off your shoulders with the 'CarrieMe Bag Hook'

It’s important to take time out to de-stress throughout this busy season, taking a break from organising Christmas, working and partying hard.
CarrieMe suggest chilling out and re-charging your battery’s over a lazy lunch date with friends - our favourite type are the post-lunch, pre-dinner treat of ‘High Tea’. A great way to warm us up while it’s so cold outside! We’re huge fans of this indulgent pastime, we can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon relaxing than sipping on refreshing and tasty teas with fancy French patisseries.
Afternoon Tea at 'The Dorchester'
Afternoon teas in London are very popular, and you really are spoilt for choice of venues. After an unusual, quirky place with vintage mismatched teacups or a luxury high end bone china type of service? For luxury, try The Dorchester hotel. A beautiful restaurant with marble piers and opulent chairs. The Dorchester include Champagne with their afternoon tea.
Afternoon Tea at 'The Berkeley'
For someone crazy about fashion, the ‘Prêt-à-Portea’ afternoon tea at The Berkeley is a real treat. Cakes and nibbles inspired by the latest highend fashion pieces. For example one cake named – ‘The Alexander McQueen whimsical yellow honeycomb cream oversized dress topped with marzipan bee’ Very cool!
Tea for Two bespoke cake gallery from 'Choccywoccydoodah'
For something affordable, but equally enjoyable try ‘Choccywoccydoodah’. This expert chocolatier has a small, quirky diner which does yummy teas and other delights like brownies, and chocolate dipping platters.
Make the experience of a lazy lunch even more enjoyable by not having to worry about your handbag. Completely relax, and take the weight off your shoulders by knowing your handbag is safe with the CarrieMe bag hook. There is no need to keep your bag on the floor, over the back of the chair, or on your lap! We attach our bag to the CarrieMe hook, and our bag hands elegantly from the table right next to us for whenever we need it.
Add a touch of glamour to the table with a CarrieMe baghook in bright catwalk colours and textures to match your handbag. Don’t worry if your bag is very large or heavy, the CarrieMe bag hook is a compact accessory, but is very strong holding up to 6kg. To see a full range of designs, check out -www.carrieme.co.uk.

CarrieMe 'Camellia' bag hook in grey
 
Which CarrieMe would you chose to take for an afternoon of High Tea?

The Isabella Blow Exhibition & Amazing Millinery

This week at CarrieMe we're dedicating our ‘Wednesday Wish List’ to amazing millinery in honour of the 'Isabella Blow Exhibition' @Somerset House, London.
Isabella Blow was an all-round fashion legend with thirty years in the industry, beginning her career as Anna Wintour’s assistant at US Vogue. Isabella was a Muse, Stylist, Editor, Talent scout, Mentor. She had an eccentric character, with a bright personality.
We respect her for discovering and launching the careers of many elite designers, including the superlative - Alexander McQueen, she bought McQueen’s first entire collection - one item a month, paying him £100 a week! And of course she discovered extraordinary hat designer Philip Treacy.
CarrieMe just love hats! Different hats provides us with a new identity, are a channel to express our personality, can give us confidence, can be worn as armour, a way to hide our face from the world, or as an expression of love.
Isabella and CarrieMe’s favourite hat designer Philip, became great friends on a personal level as well as working together professionally. Blow established Treacy from her London flat, where he designed dreamy hat collections, and she was a muse to him, incorporating Treacy's hats as part of her signature flamboyant style.  They were a match made in heaven!

Isabella wearing Philip Treacy
Isabella introduced Phillip to many industry insiders, which had a profound impact on his success. These days CarrieMe see his creations everywhere, from the controversial Lady Gaga, Madonna, Kate Moss… He made a mammoth 36 hats for the 2011 royal wedding.
An impressive sixty Philips Treacy hats which belonged to Isabella will be on show at Somerset house. We also predict some fascinating fascinators in this collection. CarrieMe cannot wait to have a peek.  Mannequins will be dressed in outfits as worn by Blow. Recreating her signature silhouette consisting of a McQueen outfit, Phillip Treacy hat and Manolo Blahnik shoes.
The exhibition will showcase over one hundred pieces from Isabella, wow! A stunning collection of bespoke, collectors’ item pieces which will no doubt make people look in awe. A must-see event for fashion fanatics, full of colour, glitz and drama. An opportunity for us to celebrate a wonderful woman that inspired and shaped our 2oth century fashion industry.
To celebrate the Somerset Exhibiton, CarrieMe have created a pinboard of our favourite ‘hat couture’. Check it out here - http://www.pinterest.com/carriemelondon/hat-couture/

Wednesday 13 November 2013

The 'CarrieMore Clip' for our arm candy!

This week we’re lusting after gorgeous gloves, and so should you! Get them before the snow comes, and before all the best ones sell out for Christmas.

Finally, gloves in the fashion world have made a big comeback this year, and we couldn’t be happier! Autumn/Winter 2013-14 designer collections showcased some beautiful gloves, most notably long, elbow length opera-like designs.

Many styles were purely for show, providing no warmth or waterproof factors though! Such as Chanel who featured a dressy pair of thin mesh type material gloves, and fingerless gloves with a smattering of studs and embellishment. Very biker chic! Talking of fingerless gloves, what about finger-gloves? We saw this different look at Alexander McQueen. These pearl encrusted gloves may look pretty but just aren’t practical enough for us!

Chanel gloves for Fall 2013-14
Designs which were stylish and warm were from Oscar De LaRenta – long leather styles in lovely jewel tones like emerald green and violet.
Oscar De La Renta gloves for Fall 2013
Celebrities love the glove-comeback too, recently Rihanna modelled a pair of racy Marc Jacobs leather fish net gloves, an equally erotic advert of Winona Rider has surfaced with her modelling a shiny patent leather of gloves for Michael Kors Fall 2013.
Rihanna for Marc Jacobs and Winona Rider for Michael Kors Fall 2013

Oooh which ones will CarrieMe choose this winter? What type of glove girl are you? Are you a classic black leather type or one who like to experiment with colour and texture?
Make sure to keep your favourite pair close by and at easy reach for when the weather is turns chilly! The problem is we carry loads of things around in our bags– extra layers to add or take off while out and about, a hat, scarf, umbrella, and so on… We definitely don’t want to be rummaging around in our bag for our luscious new pair of gloves we’ve just invested in! Do you agree? If so, the CarrieMore Clip is the solution - through creating more space inside the bag.
CarrieMore Clip
This handy little accessory is oh-so easy to use. By attaching the Clip chain around the outside handbag strap, and simply clipping our gloves to the accessory, keeping them secure, safe, and not overstuffing your bag. Ingenious! The CarrieMore clip also benefits us from keeping our bag contents dry, when we’re out in the rain and snow we don’t want to our gloves back inside our bag and ruin anything.

A simple, elegant little pocket sized design, this accessory is not clumsy or fussy. Created from a strong quality chrome-plated metal with a matt aluminium finish centre, coming in silver or bright pink!
Why not treat yourself to a CarrieMore clip this Christmas? Were sure your gorgeous new gloves will appreciate it. Each CarrieMore Clip comes in a black velvet drawstring pouch within a Gift Box and instructions.

To purchase please see http://www.carrieme.co.uk/cat_carriemore_clip.php


Tuesday 12 November 2013

"The British Fashion Awards"

It’s coming up to that time of year where we celebrate the ‘crème de la crème’ of our brilliant British fashion industry, yes it’s the London British Fashion Awards! Taking place in just under one month, you could be there! See online to purchase a ticket, or vote for your favourite 'Style Icon' to be in with a chance of winning a ticket.

The 'Style Icon’ award voted by the public, recognises an "individual who most embodies the spirit of British fashion, and is an international ambassador for London as a leading creative fashion capital." Alexa Chung has taken the crown of ‘style icon’ for three years in a row, but this year hasn't been included in the shortlist. Her ex-boyfriend - Arctic Monkeys front man Alex Turner, has been included in the list. We hope Alexa isn’t jealous!
'British Fashion Awards' Dinner Tables 2012 / Alexa Chung with Nick Grimshaw
This year’s nominees shortlisted by the BFC include a couple of unpredictable choices – such as Harry Styles, although I guess he does appeals to the teenage market! So if your style icon isn’t already nominated, there’s the option to nominate another online.
CarrieMe vote Cara Delevigne for Britain’s style icon – the face of many British brands, her success within the modelling industry has gained Cara international status, which in turn represents London’s fashion scene. We like Cara’s personal style while off-duty from modelling - Quirky, fun outfits with a touch of vintage rock and roll. Recently, we noted her rocking the new ‘Fendi Bag Bug’ charm. Seems although CarrieMe we ahead of the Fash-pack with our similar 'Snowball' bag charm!
Cara accessorising with the 'Fendi Bag Bag Charm'
Cara - Red Carpet Outfit Choices
We’re excited to see what she will be wearing for the awards, perhaps a slick couture number, which designer do you predict? Which coveted handbag will she accessorise with? We imagine Cara would look even more stylish at the awards accessorising with a ‘CarrieMe’, either a CarrieMe 'Snowball' to inject some of Cara’s fun personality, or a 'Vintage' baghook. Either way, the CarrieMe bag hook is sure to put a spotlight on her bag, showing off her bag, while hanging elegantly from the lavish dinner table!
'CarrieMe Snowball' Bag Charm/Bag Hook

 
'CarrieMe Vintage' Bag Hook

Check back to our blog after the 2nd of Dec for CarrieMe’s roundup of the best dressed! What would you wear to the British Fashion Awards?

Wednesday 6 November 2013

CarrieMe have Christmas all 'wrapped' up

Wrapping gifts can be just as fun as ripping them apart! Rather than using traditional Christmas paper, why not try something a little different this year?
Being a gift brand, CarrieMe especially appreciate a beautifully wrapped gift and get excited when seeing pretty packages which are personalised to ‘us’. Small personal touches make the wrapping as memorable as the gift inside.

You don't have to spend plenty of money on materials either, get great-looking presents with things you probably already have on hand. To make sure your presents stand out under any tree, CarrieMe ‘present’ alternative and creative gift wrapping ideas for the festive season with a luxury fashion and accessory twist.
First up we’re swapping paper for fabric, using on-trend tartan, accessorised with vintage bowties in replace of ribbon. This idea is sourced from www.sweetpaulmag.com use leftover wool tartan for a warm, 'Christmassy' feel. Do you have spare / off cuts of fabric lying about? This is a great way to recycle unused and unwanted materials.
Tartan Gift Wrap
Second up, we discovered ‘A gift wrapped Life’ on BlogSpot featuring a look book of fashion inspired gift wrap. We like this ‘Paris Fashion’ themed parcel. Bright, pretty, and textured, take care not to rip this one when opening the present! Keep it rather than throwing the paper away. With a design like this we can re-use for framing or for scrap book/photo album type projects. Who else is guilty of throwing a mountain of wrapping paper in the bin on Boxing Day?
DIY Paris Fashion Gift Wrap
Know someone with a theatrical fashion palette? Try one with a ‘Tudor theme’ in classic gold and brown colours. Print off a chosen image from online, or from a glossy magazine and stick onto plain paper, tie a thick ribbon around, adorn with a gem or two and voila! Use vintage style jewellery, or maybe get some use out of a broken piece of jewellery you have lying around which you can up cycle?
Tudor Fashion Gift Wrap

Put to use those fashion magazines you keep as ‘reference materials’ to completely wrap a parcel, the heavy weight glossy paper is perfect for creating 3d shapes like the bow on this one below. If you’re into art check out 'Wrap' a publication that bridges the gap between being a magazine and a product; made up of pull out illustrations, produced by Polly who previously designed jewellery Cath Kidston and Ted Baker.




Our final favourite to create is fun, effortless – to – make, and sure to stand out. Just wrap a selection of vibrant rainbow bright yarns, around a plain box and secure with a knot in the centre! This reminds me of the friendship bracelets I used to make as a child...
 
 
Too busy or just too lazy to make your own paper? Try this cute felt Pom Pom wrapping paper from Anthropology.
 


If you had a present under the tree wrapped in each of these styles, which one would you be most excited to open?