Friend Friday #48: Locational Influences

Taken from the balcony of the apartment where I stayed with friends on a trip to Paris last Spring

This week's Friend Friday topic is all about how where we live has a lot to do with how we dress.

1. What part of the world do you blog from? (feel free to be as specific or as vague as you are comfortable with.)

Cardiff Bay: taken with my gorgeous vintage Olympus OM1

Cardiff. Wales. UK. Europe.

I mention all of these as each plays its own specific role in influencing how I dress.

2. If you had to describe the overall mode of dress for where you live what would you say?

There are two faces of Cardiff: the student face which is all about hoodies, jeans and flip flops. Mainly. And the WAG-wannabe face which is all about looking good on a night out - short dresses, high heels and a lot of make-up.

And then a third which is somewhere in between.

3. Do you fit in with the status quo around you or do you break the mold?

I'm somewhere in between. I used to be a student in Cardiff and so have favoured the hoody, jeans and flip flops look in years gone by. But then I graduated and started an office job and had to find my own sense of style. I guess my style fits in pretty much anywhere as I try to buy classic pieces that will last for a while rather than lots of on trend clothes that will last only a season.

4. If you have lived or traveled to another part of the country/world did your clothing choices evolve?

I've lived in Italy and in Brussels. I guess that by developing a style that is pretty much transferable wherever I am has been a result of this travelling in my early 20s.

Of course, in the age of globalisation and the internet, it is easy to be influenced by styles and trends from 100s of 1000s of miles away.

5. If you had to describe your style by naming a specific city, what would you be?

Paris in Autumn

I'd like to think, Paris. But that's probably wishful thinking.

All I know is, I feel completely inspired every time I go to Paris and last Autumn when I was in the French capital, it seemed that every second person was carrying a Longchamp Le Pliage bag - and now, as a result, I am the proud owner of one!

Do you find yourself influenced by the place in which you live? Or somewhere else? Maybe somewhere you wish you lived?

Remember to check out the other responses to think week's Friend Friday topic, over at ModlyChic. You can also find more information on how to get involved over on Katy's blog too.

Please nominate me in the "Established Fashion Blog" category

Afternoon Tea: Waterloo Gardens Teahouse

Yesterday afternoon, I took my mum for afternoon tea at Waterloo Gardens Teahouse in Cardiff. It was de.li.cious! But don't take my word for it, let the pictures do the talking for me:

You get to your choice of sponge cake - we chose one slice of Victoria Sponge and one of Raspberry and White Chocolate Sponge - along with a selection of sandwiches and scones with clotted cream and jam:

You are then offered any tea or coffee from the drinks menu. I chose Organic and Fair-Trade Jasmine Green Tea. It was crisp and light and refreshing:

For more photos from our afternoon tea, be sure to check out the Sugar and Spice Facebook page. Remember to "like" the page too.

If you are in the Cardiff area, I strongly recommend paying the Waterloo Gardens Teahouse a visit. The teahouse is set in a beautifully leafy area of the city right by Waterloo Gardens which are perfect for a lazy afternoon stroll, to walk off all of the sandwiches and cakes and scones you've just consumed. What more could a girl and her mum ask for?


Where do you go for afternoon tea? If anyone has any budget options for London - I am visiting my sister next weekend and want to take her out. Any suggestions gladly welcomed.


Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend.


Remember to check out the Sugar and Spice Facebook page for more photos from our afternoon tea at Waterloo Gardens Teahouse.


Updated: realise I didn't mention before the price of the tea: £11.50 per person for everything mentioned above, which in my book, is pretty darn reasonable.

Weather To Wear: Cardiff Wed. 20/04/2011

At a recent event in London I met the lovely Kate - the girl behind i am not a celebrity. A couple of week's ago when reading Kate's blog, I discovered a new project she's become involved with, Weather To Wear: London. This new site offers daily outfit suggestions based on the weather forecast in London - such a fabulous idea, I thought! So I decided to have a go at producing my own outfit suggestion for the weather in my home town of Cardiff for tomorrow:

With the sunny weather continuing this week in the Welsh capital, I chose:

A Miss Selfridge playsuit - the perfect piece that takes you straight from work-to-beer garden;

Miss Selfridge sandals;

A straw clutch from Warehouse - don't know about you but straw bags are completely all I want to carry in the warm weather;

And, of course, the obligatory pair of huge designer sunnies like these by Gucci.

What do you think of the site? And my attempt at a similar post? Hope you're all enjoying the sunny weather and not too cooped up in an office (like me!).

30 for 30 Challenge: Day 14

Today is the very first appearance of my Dorothy Perkins maxi skirt for this challenge and the very first time I have worn this maxi with my Oasis boots. My Oasis boots, which have got such a lot of wear since I bought them, they have already had to be re-heeled!! (For anyone in Cardiff, I seriously recommend going to Crwys Key-Cutting: 96, Crwys Rd, Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF24 4NQ. Tel: 029 2034 4799. I have been going to "my man" here for years and his prices are very reasonable and he is quick - always does a pair of heels while you wait!)

I am wearing: Dorothy Perkins maxi skirt, Gap tee, Marks and Spencer cardigan and Oasis boots.

What do you think of the boots and maxi combo? I seem to have such a hard time finding appropriate footwear for my maxi skirts! But think this works:

Projects: Now and New

This morning I was busy bemoaning the fact that the mist and fog was so thick in Cardiff that I could barely see the cars on the road from the pavement as I walked to work. By lunchtime, it had all cleared and Cardiff Bay was bathed in beautiful sunshine. I often forget that I actually live by the sea. But then half of the time, I can't see the sea!

As everything looked so beautiful with the sun shining on it, I decided to test run my new mobile phone, courtesy of Samsung, the Wave II:

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay

Ivor Novello statue, Cardiff Bay

Pierhead Building, Cardiff Bay



Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay


Since receiving the phone at the weekend, I've been having fun playing with it. The camera and its many many edit options provided hours of entertainment when the boyf and I were stranded on a train for two hours in the middle of nowhere on Sunday night! A few weeks ago I mentioned wanting a new compact camera but I think this phone will fulfill all of my compact needs!

If you would like the opportunity to win one of these brand new phones, you can submit your photographs (taken on any camera) to The Now Project and you'll be in with a chance of having your photo featured in an exhibition at The Design Museum next month. I have already submitted mine here.

After uploading my photos, I checked out some of the other entries. These are a couple that caught my eye:

Elisabeth of Thrills and Frills: the only ones on the beach

birdcages by Jazmine Rocks of Jazzabelle's Diary

Some REALLY pretty Shoes by Kit Lee of Style Slicker

You might also have noticed that I have played around a little with the design of the blog. I'd love to know what you think of the new layout.