Ask Max C London: What Could I Wear to a Wedding?

Uh Oh! It’s wedding season, and if you’re anything like us you are probably wondering what on earth to wear, from the bag to the shoes to the colour scheme to whether to don a big old hat.
The only rules we would only ever say you abide by is do not by any circumstances wear black, when there are sooo many spectrums of colour out there. We’d also say try and avoid head to toe white, unless you are the bride of course, and finally make sure you catch the bouquet!
So with those little things established, we’ll show what we’ve got for you this week. We have gone for two looks this week, one modern and fresh for those summery days and the second is inspired by the roaring 20’s and screams ‘I know how to rock a few trends I do!’
Let’s take a look:

The V neck summer dress is vibrant and we are rather fond of a bit of shoulder detail. We thought we’d carry on the vibrancy and introduce a pop of unexpected orange to draw attention to the other details in the dress, and what a better way to bring it to a neat finish with a sophisticated satchel.
Swirling V Neck Dress, £32, Fiona Shoes,£35, Parmar Shoes; Thai Silk Scarf, £10, Ebay; Summer Tone Satchel, £38.
The Second Look:

So what do we have here? Well it’s a colour block, it’s a pleated maxi dress with a flapper girl edge (also provided by the studded pyramid clutch handbag) topped off with some pretty snazzy vintage head gear.
Such a mix mash of trends sound a lot on paper, but just look at it! It still remains effortless and graceful, and the hat will draw attention for the right reason instead of how many cups of tea it could possibly fit in it, oh yes this is one of our favourite ensembles…
Pleat Maxi Dress, £45; Stella Shoes,£32 Parma Shoes; Pyramid Studded Clutch, £15; Teal Blue Vintage Inspired Colche Helmet Hat, £52, Tradefar; 1920s Flapper Style Hat, £52, Tradefar
What’s the verdict girlies, which look would you go for? Today is the LAST day of the sale so grab yourself a deal!
Tell us on Twitter, Let us Know on Facebook, or Leave a comment!

Leila London Really REALLY loves: The Super Summer Sale

Ladies the time of year has come, the sun has finally been hot enough, the days are long and the sales are super sweet! If you didn’t know already we are currently on sale with items  up to 50% off, and you thought that was all… we are doing this ALL MONTH LONG!
Good news eh girls? 
In our total excitement, the Leila London team collectively picked out some of our favourite sales pieces this week:

Leila London Sale Items, Vero Moda, Closet, Vila

1. Closet printed jumpsuit, was £44.95 NOW £22.50; 2.Contrast belt dress, was £49.95 NOW £25;  3. Vero Moda Hera Top, was £37 NOW £18.50; 4.Vila lace shorts, was £29.99 NOW £15Vero

So ladies, what have you spotted in the sale? Don’t forget you can claim points on ALL your purchases so don’t be shy… let the summer MADNESS begin!

Any queries, comment or if you just aren’t  sure how to wear an item, we can help just drop us a tweet or get at us on Facebook

Enjoy July Girls!

The Leila Team xx

Girl Tips: Make Like Ellie Goulding and Get Starrey Eyed|Beauty

With the weekend always to look forward to with nights in, dinner parties, or our favourite past time- painting the town a blazing red, beauty regimes can get tiring not to mention costly- so what do we do? Well what we usually do and look for and try out a range of budget beauty tips and pass them on to you, so here are the quality tips we discovered this week…
Embrace the Water of Life


Ok, so drinking water is not the biggest secret to man when it comes to taking care of your skin, however, that’s not to say it is followed. Test for dehydration by pinching the skin on the back of your hands, if it takes more than a single second for it retract- then it is time to start gulping the good stuff down…
Get ‘Glamping’

It’s festival time a time of great music, secret snogs, and unfortunately awful hair. Glam up your look with a French plait (or a make shift French plait hair band) it will disguise any dirt or grease- keep locks slick by smoothing down flyaway areas with Vaseline.
A Spot of Bother


Got a big blazing red spot on your chin? Reduce the redness by boiling apple slices and crushing them into a paste, apply and wait. The enzymes in the fruit will significantly reduce the colouring and size of your spots.
Skin Patrol


Give your skin an extra boost by lightly mixing gold glitter into your foundation. The reflective light in the glitter will perk up your skin beautifully and will help your base coat last just that little bit longer.
It’ll be all white on the night


Get those pearly white well… pearly white, after brushing with your normal toothpaste, pop some baking powder onto your toothbrush, and brush and brush as normal.
Got a beauty tips or queries- just tell us all below or better still, bring the discussion here

Make Ours a Cuppa Darling

Good day ladies, we hope your start to the week is going swimmingly. This week we thought as we sat down drinking a cup of the lovely stuff that we’d take a look at one of the most defining aspects of Britishness, want a few clues as to what we are talking about?
1. It is a natural source of fluoride that can help protect against tooth decay and gum disease.
2. In British soap operas it is the first thing offered upon the receipt of bad news.
3. 80% of office workers claim they find out more about the developments of their company over a cup that they do any other way.
That’s right ladies you guessed it we’re talking about the elixir of British life a good old cup of tea- two sugars please!
So where can you find a good cuppa these days? Well we’ve read reviews and looked around and we have proudly put together our top three tea rooms…

Miller Harris Tea Room

21, Bruton Street,
London
W1S 6QD

This tea room has an interesting concept, combining the two senses; taste and smell. Pick up a gorgeous perfume and then reward yourself with a well deserved cup of cha, and at teas from £4 per person, you won’t break the bank anytime soon either!
Tea fact: Did you know that the number of recommended cups of tea to gain significant benefit is 4.
(Tea Council, 2011)
Betty’s
1, Parliament Street
Harrogate
HG1 2QU

This tea room is Yorkshire charm combined with elegance, from the beautifully wrought iron exterior, to the extensive array of cakes, breads and wonderful Yorkshire tea. It is a perfect treat for a loved one with and gift vouchers readily available, it gets our vote!
Tea fact: Did you know that tea is as effective as removing warts as any topical ointment, this is due to the acidity of the tannin present in the tea. Therefore leaving a moist teabag on a wart for 15 minutes a day will cause a wart to shrink and disappear!
(Foodeu.com, 2008)
St. James Tea Room (Fortnum & Mason)
181, Piccadilly
London
W1

Often described as the Mecca for tea lovers, it has a vast range of teas including one that was specially made for King Edward VII, it also provides a stunning assortment of hampers complete with ‘food of the season’- to put it simply, if you want a fine cup of tea they have the finest!
Tea Fact: Did you know tea was discovered in 2737 BC by Chinese Emperor Shen –Nun who was considered a divine healer when some leaves accidently blew into pot of boiling water.
(learnabouttea.com,2011)
So ladies how many sugars do you take? Have you visited any of these places? What’s your favourite brand?
So many questions so little time, let us know your thoughts on our Facebook or keep in touch with our always actively active Twitter!

It's Discount Time Girlies!

If you didn’t know already and you are currently looking sadly at your rather lukewarm cup of coffee, then cheer up now, as we a Leila London in conjunction with the marvellous More Magazine are offering a wonderful 15% off all clothing.

Yes ladies the bank holiday may have ended but we know we can continue with the crusade to provide seriously affordable clothing.

So what do you have to do?
Well just make sure you type in the code LEILAMORE (in capitals) at the checkout to receive your discount today!
So what will you purchase? Let us know below or bring the discussion over here

Decisions, Decisions and More Decisions: Vintage v Modern Chic Themed Weddings

When planning a wedding everything needs to be considered from the caterers to who will be the flower girl. However, before that can go full speed ahead, what always needs to be decided is what style or theme the wedding will be. What many fail to realise when selecting a style, is that it needs to effectively translate though the dress and its accessories, but everything from the table decorations to the invitations and name settings.
So Let’s Start: Remember the Choice is Yours

It does not matter what the latest overprice bridal magazines have said is the hottest trend this month, always go for what YOU prefer. Whether that is, in this example, the soft floral edges tweet crochet and the all round country feel of vintage; or the cool crisp structured and strong feel of modern chic designs.
So how do you decide what to pick?

Well, both motifs have advantages and beautiful themes can be created around each style. Just imagine for a moment, you decide on having a vintage wedding with the old age custom ‘something old something new’ as inspiration. By wearing genuine vintage pieces you get the character and charms along with all the sentimental values associated with the ‘old’ item; and by having accessories tailored through bespoke services you get the ‘new effect and exactly how you want.

With such a detailed range of vintage lace fabrics, colours and dresses right up to table decoration now so widely available, it is hard to believe that once upon a time we were heavily encouraged to ‘chuck out the chinz’ and shop in more modern stores like the ‘infamous’ Ikea and DFS.

However, vintage is not for everyone- so let’s discuss the aspects of modern chic.
Think, crisp white linen table cloths, dark frock coats and beautiful bridal gowns laden with sparkles and jewels! In order to the most of your dress, think monochrome, think a stunning tiara with plenty of height complete with clear Swarovski crystals, not sure about wearing a tiara? Then try the more subtle golden bride hair comb with fresh water pearls, and compliment with delicate jewellery. The look here should aim to be soft, simple and structured with clear lines to show off the best features.

Still undecided?
It can be hard to stick to just one idea especially if like many budding brides they are having ideas put to them constantly. Therefore if you are feeling particularly adventurous you could mix the two themes together. A modern theme with vintage hues can work well, a bird cage here, a floral garland there, combined with plain white bone china crockery with high shine white glasses, and accessories can be as dramatic as you like, such as using big floral influences for example. The idea when trying to merge two effect is TRY everything until you get it right but avoid using everything, root around, find treasure old and new and remember everything no matter who tell you otherwise IS adaptable.

The Verdict

Honestly, hand on hear for me vintage weddings just radiate total magic, enchantment and hold the added sentiment you just do not get with brand new pieces. Vintage accessories often have the edge in adding character and provide history; envisage on the big day wearing Grandma’s beautiful brooch-come hair comb, knowing that it has ties with some very loving memories. Imagine how then future bride Kate Middleton must have felt wearing what is serious history on her hand as she walked up the aisle. Yes wearing vintage that is custom made makes all the difference is capturing that extra magic that’s greatly needed for one of the most important days of a person’s life.

You simply just can’t beat that vintage touch.
Ladies what do you think, do you agree that you just can’t beat that vintage touch?
Let us know below, or better still bring the discussion here and find what we in conjunction with the lovely Claire are giving away!

The Spot Test Part 2: 5 Ways To Get That Stain Out! |Vintage

Remember our last spot test on caring for your vintage wear? Well we know that for vintage hunters that there will come a time when no matter how gorgeous an items is,  a slightly more serious stain will leave you thinking ‘ I can’t really buy this, I mean look at that stain!’  Well fret no more our handy stain removal tips will have you reviving garments in no time…
*Please note for older and very delicate vintage items it is best you do not try and remove stains yourself instead, seek a professional cleaner or ask the person that has sold the item to you.Now that’s out of the way here are the tips we have learned and discovered.

Warm Water

This may sound too basic, but sometimes that is all you need, how many time you have spilled something that only requires a damp clothes to clean? The same principle applies here, just place a cloth underneath the item where the stain is and blot the desired area with a damp and warm cloth.

Away with the Fairy…Soap.

When removing a stain and little reinforcement is needed, always start at the most basic and gentle then move up. If the warm water does not shift the issue, try washing up liquid for example, Fairy or Persil. Squirt a few drops in warm water, rinse with a sponge and blot as gently as necessary.

Window Cleaner- OOOMPA!

Remember Mr Portokalos from My Big Fat Greek Wedding who used Windex for everything? Well he wasn’t wrong. If the stain is still troubling, try the famous glass cleaner- it is known as Windolene in the UK, make sure you do a fabric test on a small discrete corner to check the material is compatible, and remember there may be ammonia in the product so always test before a full application.

Lemon Juice and Salt.

These two homely products make an excellent natural beach so before investing heavy industrial items, mix equals parts of the lemon and salt, blot the offending article with the mixture and leave it the sun to dry. The sun combined with the mixture should the fade the problem away and if it doesn’t there is always…

Alcohol.

We don’t mean hit the bottle, but use it, hope is not lost yet. Try treating the affected area with alcohol, preferably in pure form (think of rubbing alcohol) or if necessary a clear spirit. ALWAYS test an area before taking this step, place a cloth underneath the items and blot as required.
NB: Always rinse items with warm water in between trying methods so to avoid products counteracting with each other with detrimental effects, and always be gentle it is best to dab and blot slowly than it is to rub and scrub quickly.
So there you have it, more quick tips with long lasting benefits. Have you got any tricks up your sleeves then let us know below  or better still start a discussion here.