Tuesday 30 August 2011

Little Fille AW11

You know those times you sit doodling with your biro, drawing hearts, dreaming of you and someone you have your eye on? We’ve been doing it all day, ever since we saw this sneak preview of Little Fille‘s AW11 collection. We just can’t get enough. If the SS11 collection was anything to go by we are in for a real treat.
If you aren’t aware of Little Fille, they create gorgeous, unique, handmade headpieces in a variety of colours and designs - each Little Fille piece is different, suiting a variety of occasions. 
Peter Pan collars are distinctive in many AW garments, adding that little extra detail to make your outfit stand out that little bit more. Us girls’ here at Tantrum cannot wait to get our mits on one of Little Fille’s detachable versions - think of how many shirts and blouses you can jazz up! 



Little Fille can be bought in Topshop, London’s Oxford Circus and on their online shop. This Winter their lovely pieces will be available in Anthropologie, London and Urban Outfitters, North America.
We know you will love the pieces and much as we do. Little Fille are currently having a giveaway on their blog - it's pretty spectacular so how about checking it out?

words: Jemma Lamble

Friday 26 August 2011

WIN! Styling Advice with Alexis Knox & Converse accessories

Hey, remember that post we did a little while ago on Converse's rad new range of bags? Well, we've got a little follow-up on that for you.




Alexis Knox, stylist extraordinaire, club night host and Fashion Director at Notion magazine has teamed up with Schuh to celebrate the launch of Converse's bags & accessories line to offer one of you lucky lot out there a chance to win some new Converse accessories AND some priceless styling advice from Miss Knox herself!

The lush prize includes a Converse Bags & Accessories shopping spree at Schuh’s flagship store on Oxford Street, a spot of lunch with Alexis and an entire afternoon of one-on-one styling tips & fashion advice with her. Oh, and did we forget to mention, it INCLUDES spending money! (aaa-mazing, huh?) So what're you waiting for! Head over to Schuh's website, you've gotta be in it to win it!



Entry is free via Schuh’s Competitions page and you can follow Alexis’s Styling adventures on Facebook.  Competition closes on 10th September, so you better get going!

Monday 22 August 2011

Gel it.

There is nothing quite like a unique approach to fashion, and Christopher Kane is one of those designers who has a habit of doing exactly that. Here at Tantrum, we crave fashion that makes a statement, so what's better than a gel-filled clutch? 

Let us introduce you to the Aqua gel-filled clutch - doesn’t it look like an insanely fun accessory to own? We don’t know about you, but it reminds us of those rad gel-filled pencil cases from the '90s that would always distract away from the teacher, they really were just too cool for school.

Nostalgic feelings aside, this kitsch clutch was greatly applauded at the AW11 show, and we can definitely see why. If you like quirky fashion, then this is for sure your bag of the season. Here's how the Tantrum team would style it…


Swap the wedges for some studded pumps for that night to day transition. Styling with black keeps the look sleek and defined, but it's best to get imaginative to show off this bag to its full potential. 


Aqua Gel-Filled Clutch- Christopher Kane @ Net A Porter - £385 

Words: Jemma Lamble

Sunday 21 August 2011

Get down to the BEAT Bunker.

Let us set the scene for you – it’s the weekend, you’re primed and ready to go out and dance the night away, but the working week has dragged you down and you want nothing more than a cutting edge gig from the comfort of your own home. Sound familiar? If so, we have just the solution for you.

Hanna Hanra (of the awesome BEAT magazine) is hosting BEAT bunker, the living proof that staying in really is the new going out. With a desk bar and the latest bands at close range, this really is the gig of the future – and the line up sits at the cutting edge of the music scene. Over the coming weeks, such bands as Bones, the Shoestrung, Mini Mansions and Cerebal Ballzy will be gracing the BEAT office – but with spaces limited to 30 places a gig, it seemed as though most of us would have to settle for wishing we were there.

Luckily for you dear reader, there is light at the end of the (music) tunnel – thebeatjuice.com are streaming the BEAT bunkers for your viewing pleasure. In homage to such nineties TV classics such as The World and The Tube, combined with the wonders of the internet, you’ll be able to enjoy these gigs from the comforts of your bedroom (alcohol optional, but advised).

In fact, Hanna summed it up in a way even us Tantrum-ettes would be proud of - "I'm thinking that booze + booze + band + small space + Sunday night = rowdy random fun."

So extend your weekend, pour that extra glass, and enjoy the wonder that is BEAT bunker while you can.


Gigs can be found here the day after performance.
More information on Hanna Hanra and Beat Magazine is also available here.

Friday 19 August 2011

Wig out.

What with Lady Gaga's ever-changing hair colour, Katy Perry's penchant for pastel hues, Rihanna's electric red locks and Nicki Minaj's shocking pink 'do, it seems like crazy, coloured hair is growing increasingly popular.

If you're after a bit of this bright and bold coloured-hair action but aren't quite brave enough to risk damaging your locks with bleaching and D.I.Y dye kits, then maybe a wig is the way to go. More specifically, a wig from Wonderland Wigs...


Stocking an extensive range of high-quality, custom-produced wigs and extensions (in natural colours and cuts as well as some more daring options) It's no wonder that Wonderland Wigs are one of the UK's leading retailers in their field. Whatever look you're going for, from cosplay cutie to rock chic or all-natural gal, you can rest assured that Wonderland have got you covered. 


With all of this coming in at a purse-friendly price, it's well worth skipping the hassle of having your hair permanently coloured and stocking up on a few fun and fashionable wigs from Wonderland!


for more information & the full range of wigs and extensions, head over to www.wonderlandwigs.co.uk



Tuesday 16 August 2011

Sprocket Rocket.

Film photography geeks and fantatics - Ever got your pretty pictures developed, grabbed the negatives and thought "Jeez, look at all that free space beyond the sprocket holes!". If only there was some way to take an image and extend it past the holes, exposing the ENTIRE width of the film?



Well it seems that the fun-loving photographic geniuses over at Lomography have come up with a way to do just that. Say hello to the Sprocket Rocket - a luscious new analogue offering from Lomography that brings together panoramic shots and this newfound, revolutionary sprocket-exposing technology in a handy little plastic bundle of joy. 
 
With manual forwarding and rewinding knobs allowing you to go wild with multiple exposures, it's never been easier (or more fun!) to get those dreamy, colour-drenched images that you crave. Annnnd, with the release of their new Superpop! range, you can now grab the lovely Sprocket Rocket in neon shades of yellow, green, orange and blue as well as the original black and white editions. So what are you waiting for? Get snappin'!


Lomography Sprocket Rocket cameras, £79. Available from the Lomography online store

Thursday 11 August 2011

Get carried away with Converse.

We've been addicted to Converse shoes since we were in our early teens (practical, affordable, cool and available in like, a million different colours. What's not to love?!)
And now we're all grown-up (kind of...) we're still just as much in love with the iconic all-American sneaker brand as we were when we got our very first pair of black canvas all-stars.
So it somewhat surprises us that it's taken THIS long for Converse to branch out into another area of the apparel industry, but YAY, because that's exactly what they have done now. 
This month sees the launch of Converse's first dedicated collection of bags and accessories. Featuring a range of duffel bags, messenger bags, rucksacks and more in Converse's trademark block colours, it's pretty easy to get a bit, ahem, carried away when deciding which one you like best!

Prices range from £19 - £54.95. Stockists include Schuh, JD Sports and blackleaf.com

Wednesday 10 August 2011

Voodoo Queens


Some people presume illustration is just a glorified picture, but the depth of illustrations can inject a lot more into ones creative mind than you first may assume. If you're into art, you'll understand how much feeling and mystery there is behind every single stroke. The ideas behind an illustration, and the final creation, nearly always tell a story that will spark some kind of interest.
Nina Chakrabarti is an illustrator that we, personally find extremely interesting. With experiences at Central St Martins and The Royal College of Art under her belt, there's no denying that this girl has talent. Stumbling across Nina’s website, we were more than intrigued, wanting to know more about her work after each page we read.
A series of interventionist doodles caught our eye, sending our brains into a creative spin. What do they mean? Why are they composed in that way?, we thought to ourselves. There were no words, which could emphasise our point about the power of a picture; no words are needed to entice a certain feeling - Could illustration be the new speech for humans? We totally believe you could win a debate with an illustration, it's acutely thought provoking.

At first glance the illustrations seemed very aboriginal and dark, but behind the initial denotations we saw the beauty of each line, starting to see the artistic enhancements as masks. Even though initially inspired by voodoo, every individual could read these differently, but it could seem possible that such images would suggest a confident, fashion enthused female could feel a slight insecurity - the illustration expresses such a strong feeling and shows you more to a woman than a digital photograph would.


Every image is as strong as the first, developing the ambience of voodoo intensely. What we find admirable is the unique aspect to each image, intricately composed to trigger a train of thoughts. Nina is said to use a variation of techniques when it comes to her drawing; pencils, ink, felt tips and biros are amongst her favoured of these diverse mediums. 

  
What do these illustrations say to you? How do they make you feel? Stop for a moment and take in the eclectic work of Nina Chakrabarti over at www.ninachakrabarti.com

words: Jemma Lamble


Sunday 7 August 2011

Get your Cheap Monday fix at Selfridges.

Yep, you heard us right. Our favourite Scandinavian brand is setting up shop in our favourite department store (talk about a match made in heaven!)
As of August 15th, the first floor of Selfridges, Oxford St, will be home to Cheap Mondays first UK concession store, offering a range of their trademark unisex denims and accessories as well as their menswear collection.




The concession will be completely transformed to have that effortlessly cool vibe that epitomises the Cheap Monday brand. Think exposed metals, chain link fencing, interesting, angular displays (all designed by uber-cool Swedish architecture/design group, UglyCute) and you've got it pretty much nailed.

So, kids, mark down August 15th in your diaries. It may be a Thursday but be warned, Cheap Monday is all that's going to be on our minds! 





Cheap Monday opens August 15th, 1st Floor, Selfridges Oxford St.
www.cheapmonday.com