Sparkle ON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROZ ALCAZAR

Christmas makes me very happy, and today even more so. I am going home for the holidays and I just had the greatest night in the city to give my goodbyes until the new year.

Every occasion over the festive period has been so good to wear shiny outfits (hence my OOTD here). But to be honest, I think it is a great excuse to put all my metallics at once and not give a damn. But as I was saying: my last day in London could not have been better: last-minute Christmas shopping (see me faves here) followed by a great evening overlooking the Christmas lights while having a delicious drink with even more delicious company. Man, should I be thankful! Which reminds me how much I like the american tradition of thanksgiving.

I think we should all do the same kind of therapy over here. After all, most of us will look back at what we've done this 2016 and realize we are thankful for so many things! I am particularly thankful for...

• The new and ever-lasting friendships 
• All my travels and cultural discoveries: Peru, New York, Switzerland, Denmark, Portugal...
• A great new job that allows me to travel and enjoy the #goodlife in London
• Having friends that still come and visit me every year, that is really true love
• Some sort of good health (not really counting all my alcoholic nights out) and a fabulous family 
• Pushing boundaries, always exploring further
• Having a new place to live in East London, after a very f****** stressful time aaand for having great new roomies to share new experiences with

Now, what are you thankful for?

Merry Christmas Careless Readers, 

TCB xx

WHAT I WORE?

CiCi London Metallic Pleated Skirt (also available at TopShop Oxford Circus)
Maria La Rosa Metallic Socks
Mango Ribbed Turtleneck
ZARA Gold Sandals (sold out, similar here)
Marc Jacobs Heart Clutch (circa 2010)
Vintage Leather Jacket

Furrylicious

Sometimes, all you need is a splash of colour, especially in a city like London.

The more time you spend in the city, the more you get soaked in it, loving every single bit of it. So much fun, however, is counterbalanced by the weather. You can go days without seeing the sun, and for that reason I think everybody could do with some colour to brighten up their day. Whether it is in the form of architecture, clothing or food...jazz things up, baby!

You know how much I love characterizing my outfits, so for this occasion I felt like impersonating Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. It is either that or Audrey Hepburn and her red lipstick. Who else would it be more fabulous and powerful than them? 

TCB x

Psss photography is by the megababe Roz Alcazar

“Colors are the smiles of nature”

— James Henry Leigh Hunt (1784-1859)

“The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love colour the most”

— John Ruskin (1819-1900)

WHAT I WORE:

Paper Dress Vintage 70s Vintage Fur
Giant Vintage Cobain Sunglasses
Bershka leather Skirt (old, similar here, here and here)
ASOS Fishnet Tights
 

I eXceL in #MyCalvins

PHOTOGRAPY BY OLAJIDE JJ SMITH

Man, do I love the 90s or what! I'm hooked to the idea of bringing old-school trends back. And some brands are doing great at it. I mean, just look at this outfit!? 

These days I'm also feeling like a dangerous woman (yes, very Ariana Grande of me) so I'm embracing more daring outfits. Always in style though, PLEASE. 

Speaking of style. How cool is the street art on this shoot? You may be wondering where that wall is! It is part of XL Recordings, a record label located in a mew in West London. Since they started in the 90s, they have worked with big names such as Adele, Beck, Radiohead, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., FKA twigs and The XX, reason why you see this wall at their entrance. They must have done very well, hey!

Have a lovely weekend careless readers, 

TCB xx

P.S: JJ and I had a bit of a running story where I am posing like Kim Kardashian showing off her ass. Can you guess one which one is it? :P

WHAT I WORE:

Round Rayban Shades
Topshop CropTop
Calvin Klein for UO Midi Skirt
Stan Smith Adidas Sneakers

Candy Land

Candy Land, an unknown place for many and a delicacy for some.

Located on what I call the outskirts of London (that is anything beyond Zone 2 on the tube) is a beautiful workspace for artists and designers called SugarHouse Studios. It seemed to have an up an running café, a pizza service and a yard but, to date, is rather leftover and empty of Londoners.

The area is quite rough to my taste, despite having Stratford and the Olympic Park quite near. Nevertheless, what would seem an unreasonable trip for many was a perfect adventure for The Careless Blogger. The Spanish Mafia dressed up for the day and went exploring the area.

Why CandyLand? You may wonder. Unfortunately, there are no sweeties involved but spots called like it: PUDDING Mill Lane is the stop you'll need to get off to go to the studios or alternatively you could stop by MARShgate Lane on the bus. Not to mention the studio is called SUGARHouse? Put that on a pipe and smoke it.

As we weren't aware of what we would encounter we brought some sweeties ourselves. We enjoyed a very cold morning of girlie catch up and took some pics for you to see :)

#FUNFACT: the studio front facade was made from colourful tiles handmade on site! The colours are random, for each batch different amounts of pigment were added, decided by whoever was making tiles at the time. Similarly there weren't any rules or patterns followed for putting them up, just whatever looked good to whoever was doing it at the time. How awesome is that?

Below you can see the results!

P.S.: Yes, I support #freethenipple.

TCB xx

WHAT I WORE:

SheIn 90s Top
Topshop Mom Jeans
Gewel Boutique Sunglasses
Miista Eva Galactic Heels

Queen of Hearts

PHOTOGRAPHY BY jide JJ SMITH

I feel Londoners live by the weather conditions sometimes. I've had so many people telling me that's the first thing they check to plan their days (and outfits) in the city, it's not even a joke anymore! 

I, for starters, am one of these people, ha! You need to be prepared for at least two weather changes in a day in London, if not more. You can go from grey and cold to rainy to then beautiful sunshine in a matter of 30 minutes. Ridiculous? Most certainly. But let's not forget we live in an island, after all. 

After years of learning and consideration, my rule is to embrace whatever comes. Wear what you feel like and the rest you'll take as it comes. Not gonna lie to you guys: that rule of thumb may get you a bit cold sometimes. But hey, you look fabulous don't you? 

To battle any sort of weather in style there are 4 things that should always be in your wardrobe: 

1. A cashmere jumper (Boden has some amazing ones at the moment, and in so many colours!), which will make you feel soft an cozy even if you are outdoors
2. A pair of jeans, which will defeat any meteorological situation while being comfy
3. A pair of heels (or plenty if you must), which even though they aren't always your best friend (especially if you are wearing a beautiful new pair and it starts pouring rain), they will make you and your figure look fabulous. I'm tiny as well, so you'll see me on them 90% of the time. 
4. A leather jacket, which is probably a staple amongst any London gurl. There's a reason why they call it "Perfecto" jacket, right? 

TCB x

Crisp

photography by jide jj smith

BLIMEY it's cold in London these days! Never mind the pissing rain that gets me everytime cause I've learnt not to carry an umbrella (too big for my mini bags), but this cold...this cold gets to my bones.

OH WELL! What are we gonna do, stay home? Cause that's certainly not my style, my friends. If I were you I'd brave the weather and have a lovely day in South Kensington, the pretty neighborhood near my ends :)

If you are out and about in SW London, SouthKen is a must. And I will tell you why:

• There is a majestic feeling about this area; it just makes you feel good by just walking around it. Take in the landscape: white houses, beautiful greenery, royal parks and grand architectural buildings will make your time here worthwhile. 
• There is a huge variety of culture: the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum and the V&A are within meters of each other. I'd say the first two are more enjoyable if you are going with your boyfriend or if you are really into geeky/nerdy/historical stuff (which I am totally into), whereas the V&A usually is more girly. Nevertheless, I suggest you check them all out regardless of your gender as the structure of these buildings is mesmerizing. 
• There's so many sweet choices for a snack I literally struggle every time I go there: Tombo Café is perfect for matcha-lovers (you'll find literally ANYTHING you wished for); Hummingbird Bakery is great for delicious american-style cupcakes (we've been through this, right) and Maitre Choux is my favorite for Parisian eclairs in the city. 
• You can get lost through Kensington Gardens (20 minute walk from South Kensington Station), visit the latest crazy-as-f**** exhibit at The Serpentine Galleries, or get into some more British culture by visiting Kensington Palace or sipping tea at its Orangery. You'll be set back to Jane Eyre times. 
• According to the area you are in, there's lots of pubs and cocktail bars with a pristine setting, although I'd suggest you head towards Sloane Square or High Street Ken for it, as the options are better. The Windsor Castle is quite an isolated pub in Kensington but if old-school is your thing, you'll love it here. Otherwise, The Botanist in Chelsea is always a good bet.

All in all, you've got a whole day out in the city just planned right there, so wrap up and get yourself going! I probably wasn't wearing enough layers but hey, how cute is this look? As we say in Spain: "To be/look beautiful you must suffer".

TCB x

WHAT I WORE:
Ci Ci London Blouse
Boden Pink Coat
H&M Denim Flares (SOLD OUT, similar here)
ZARA Pumps (old)
Fendi sunglasses
House of Mackage Cross-body Leather Bag

SUPER MAGS

Photography by Charlie Sawyer

What a day yesterday was. London Fashion Week just started and my feet is already feeling it! I am having so much fun, though. Lots of catwalks and presentations (too many of the latter, in my opinion) that you can check on my Day 1 reviews and also lots of free sweets, popcorn and booze to indulge into. OBVS!

Walking down Lexington St towards the main stage (that is Brewer St Car Park) certainly makes you feel like a star followed being followed by paparazzis. To top up the day, I ended up party-hopping in Soho followed by a late dinner at Sexy Fish making new gal-pal friends. What else?

Let the fun times continue. I'll keep you posted!

TCB x

WHAT I WORE:
Total Look by ASOS
ZARA Suede Ankle Boots
Launer London Traviata Bag

Outtaspace Punk

I was playing with my new toy (a Penny skate) around the hood and as soon as I jumped on it the song Complicated from Avril Lavigne came to my head. Or Sk8ter Boi, obvs. Ahh, listening to these songs takes me back to when punk music was so cool that all we listened to was raging or utterly depressing music. What good times!

In any case, how cute is Notting Hill? I love walking around this neighborhood. Discovering new spots and enjoying the beautiful hues around me has become one of my favourite passtimes. Also I've lately realised that:

1 - Westbourne Grove is the perfect location for a quiet yet great shopping experience: Joseph, The Kooples, LOFT, Sandro, Maison Scotch...plus you've got two cafes for a perfect pit-stop: Daylesford Organic and 202 by Nicole Farhi. Great for people watching too, which is SO much fun.

2- Not only you've got lots of trendy foodie spots: Hummingbird Bakery, Electric Diner and Ottolenghi, as I mentioned endless times...but also calmer and more classy ones like The Dock Kitchen, The Ledbury or Chakra.

3- Portobello Market on Saturdays is my fave market for antiques, fur and good vintage finds but if you can't bear crowds by all means avoid going there. 

I was skating myself away from the crowd when we saw a brick of coloured houses that really got us. We decided that it was too matchy matchy to let it go so we came back home, took the camera and started playing! By the way, I'm TOTES into velvet these days. Why aren't you yet?

TCB xx

WHAT I WORE:

Town Clothing Outaspace Velvet Body
ZARA A-line Skirt (old)
&Other Stories Velvet Leather Pumps
Skinny Dip Planet Clutch
Amazon Mini Cruiser Skateboard