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!

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!

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

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

'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'

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?

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