How to Get into the Fashion Industry | GUEST POST

Forward

Hello! Want to be involved full front and centre in the fashion industry? Possibly sit front row in the biggest shows. Seeing the beauty of Burberry's iconic London Fashion Week event right before your eyes? Well this guest post might help you get to where you want to be! I hope you like it :) 

-xoxo

source

If you’re the creative type and you can’t get enough of clothing and accessories, you might be perfectly suited to a career in fashion. It’s true that breaking into this industry can be tough, but if you make it, you’ll be rewarded with work that reflects your passions and talents. To help you along the way, this brief guide covers the basics of getting into fashion.

Decide on a route

The first step is to decide on a specific route. There are lots of roles on offer in this field, and you’ll need to hone in on the one that most appeals to you. From designing to buying and blogging, there is no shortage of options. Bear in mind that you don’t have to go it alone if you want an outlet for your creative talents. Clothing suppliers like FireLabel Merchandising offer full embroidery and printing design services, so working behind the scenes for organisations like this could give you a chance to showcase your imagination and abilities. It’s worth putting plenty of thought into choosing the right path so that you don’t end up regretting your decisions further down the line.

Get your qualifications

Once you know what you’re aiming for, it’s time to get the relevant qualifications. For example, if you want to become a fashion designer, a formal education and training could prove vital. There are a range of courses on offer, including bachelor and master’s degrees and certification programmes.

However, if you’re looking for an alternative to academic study, you might be better suited to the more practical option of taking an apprenticeship. This route can be especially effective if you want to work in hands-on roles, but bear in mind that actually finding suitable apprenticeships can be a challenge.

Spend time networking

As with all industries, it pays off to know the right people when you’re trying to break into fashion. This means it’s important to spend some time getting to know others in the industry. You can do this by cultivating connections online via social media and by attending industry events. Although this might seem like a lot of effort for not much return at times, it can prove vital in landing jobs at all levels in the world of fashion.   

Be prepared to start at the bottom

Another top tip is to manage your expectations. The chances are, you’ll need to start at the bottom, gain experience and work your way up. If you hold out for the perfect role right at the start of your career, you might find you never break into this competitive industry.

There’s no escaping the fact that getting into fashion can be a challenge. However, by following advice like this, you can boost your chances of achieving your goal.

Motivation Monday: Morning Thoughts

Hello!

"stay focused and look at the things around you."

Another Monday is upon us, and it's the first thing that pops into our heads on Monday Morning can determine the rest of the day... or rest of the morning, at least! It could either be: "Oh YAY, start of another fresh week" or "Let's just stay under the duvet for the next 50 hours?" Choose the latter and you're more likely to dread mornings!

"Be grateful and feel forever content."

This quote is simple yet always overlooked. Be grateful and feel forever content. It is so easy to miss the things right under our nose, like the quote 'You'll Only Miss it When it's Gone' - so just take a moment to think of the things you're lucky to have.

Is Roald Dahl EVER wrong? 

It seems as though the images did all the talking in this post and that's how morning should be: productive yet quiet... :)

What's your favourite morning ritual?

Easy way to Deep Clean your Technology

Hello!

Maybe it's the season, the sun shining and the spring cleaning 'bug' - but whatever it is, I felt the need to clean the thing I use most: My Laptop. Are you with me?!
Obviously, being the clean freak that I am, I have cleaned my laptop prior to using 'CyberClean' but it wasn't that effective.. read on to find out why!

Well, this product is totally handy for cleaning and screen - your TV screen, Computer Screen, Phone Screen and in this case, Laptop Screen! It comes with a little holder and a cleaning solution which is squirted out using the spray. After spraying you use the felt at the back to wipe the screen. 

I'm not sure if you can see the difference from the pictures but any finger print marks and dust disappeared and, in the after shot you can see how much clear the screen is! 

When I'd clean it before, I'd usually somehow still end up with dust on the screen or some inevitable random fluff - but with the felt on the spray, it really got everything and the shape of it was great for rounded corners too! 

In addition, Cyber Clean sell this compound that intrigued me - mainly due to the selling point of reaching the hard-to-reach areas of the keys. The compound is basically goo. It's actually quite fun to handle and smells citrus-y - very clean! Notice in the 'After' picture above, you can see the shape of the keys and some dirt on the compound gathered from cleaning.

It's super easy - and kind of fun - to clean the keyboard. I also cleaning the edges of the laptop and pretty much everywhere!

In addition, I cleaned my keyboard cover too - and it worked quite well! It reached around the keys too, and was left as good as new! 

I totally recommend the screen and keyboard set from CyberClean! It will make your cleaning so much easier, trust me, and if you're a bit of a clean freak like me, then I'm sure you'll be glad this came into your life! 

Here are the links to the website:

UK: https://www.cyberclean.uk.com 

International: http://www.cyberclean.net

Tell me, what is your one favourite cleaning product?!

*Product sent for PR purposes, it doesn't bias the review in any way. 

Relaxing or Sick Day Must-Haves (ft. Firmoo)

Hello!

Cough. Sneeze. Tired.
It's that time of year. We're either sick with the flu, or just have the January blues where we wish it could be summer (unless you live in Australia or something, then you must be having a nice time!)….

This calls for a must-haves list for the days we want to stay in bed. Let me tell you, it's okay to not be doing things every second of the day. It's okay to have a less productive day, sometimes. Now - lets relax!


1. Snuggle

Snuggle up with your cosiest blanket on your sofa/couch. If you feel REALLY lazy, then just stay in bed - all is good! I love my pink rose blanket. I got it last year and it has come so much in handy during the cold months. I actually like it when my room is cold and I'm snuggled up in this!


2. Make Some Hot Cocoa

What is the cold without hot cocoa? Or a mug of coffee or tea. I love me some Chai Tea Latte, too! This makes you feel instantly better as the warmth makes your body warmer and you're left with a lovely taste in your mouth!


3. Ease off the Contacts!

I know when you go out and have glasses, you might prefer your contact lenses - but on relaxing days it may be time to give your eyes a rest and pull out the glasses. I got mine from Firmoo who have a range of designs you can choose from. These have a lovely tortoise design on the side of the frame. I love how fashionable these look, how intelligent you look (and feel) and how comfortably they fit! Also, I love that they aren't the typical rectangle as I find everyone and their mother has them! This is slightly different yet still has that chic touch. You can customise the glasses to be tinted, polarised and of course have the lens matched to your prescription - the website is super easy to use and delivery is great. You also get 2 cases and an eye-glass cloth. I really do recommend them. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, you can even try on the glasses online with a cool picture thing where you virtually have them on to see which glasses design fits you! AND you get your first pair free! Click here to see.

4. Watch some Flicks

We all know that watching our favourite shows, movies or even YouTube stars can brighten up our day and make you feel better! I love to have a catch up Pretty Little Liars day or something! It's a lot of fun and a great way to wind down! If you're feeling like having more of a movie night then that's good too - the other day I watched 'Now You See Me' and it's a really good movie!


5. Take a Bath

I love taking baths as they're so relaxing. Also, using luxurious products make your skin feel lovely and  you look and feel great! Maybe take in a book with you to pass the time while you soak!


6. Light a Candle

I could NOT miss this one out! Ahh even thinking about Candles makes me feel happy!


That's it for my must-haves for a relaxing day! If you're ill right now, I hope you get well soon - and if you just need a relaxing day.. just relax ;)
What are your Relaxing/Sick day must-haves, leave a comment?!

Dry Skin from Cold Weather?!

Hello!

Now winter is full blown and yes, we're reaching temperatures below 0 degrees Celcius in England right now, it means to say you may be finding your skin getting drier? Even worse: Flaking!

You may think that its the cold weather that is actually drying out your skin - but this is a MYTH.
In reality it's the central heating in your home that is drawing out moisture from your skin. Notice how flowers kept near a radiator are likely to quench up and dry out? It's the same for your skin.

STOP your skin drying out by adding a humidifier to your home, or just your bedroom. Yet, these can be expensive and somewhat unrealistic to get. So, these are some easy ways you can add moisture to your home:

Dry some clothing on your radiator: this means the moisture from the wet clothing/material will evaporate and add moisture to the room

Houseplants: like I mentioned earlier, plants can get dry if near the radiator. Make sure to water the plant well so it a)Lives and b)Adds moisture to your room

 Or, you can simply use a dish of water: place a shallow dish of water near a radiator so again the water can evaporate and prevent the central heating leaving your skin cracked!

Oh, and if you currently have dry skin - apply some vaseline before you go to bed, and rub it in.

So, keep your room nice and warm, yet moist this winter and save your skin!

What's your skin saviour for dry skin? 

image source

Product Empties - Hair Edition

Hello!

I've been seeing these videos all over YouTube lately and thought it'd be great to do one on my blog!
Recently I've finished many products all at once, which is great because that means I can buy loads of new things! Yay!

Anyway, one area in which I have come to an end of many products is hair care. I love using products on my hair as every strand feels extra silky soft afterwards! You know the feeling after you use those GHD's on newly cut hair with no dry ends, well, that's what we strive for everyday and using these products help!

I finished these two products and was glad in one way and sad in another! You probably know the feeling of surprise but are still nodding your head in approval at products at which you didn't expect much from but turned out to be great! 

The reason I was surprised with these products is how long they actually lasted!

This product, the almighty Macadamia Leave-In Cream has been on top of the Hair Products chart for the last couple of years and being searching for a new hair product, this one was a MUST try. I've got to say, I could not be happier with this product. You may notice that this is the smaller version of the big baby that is very raved about. I bought this just so I could try it and it lasted me about 8 months! I wash my hair about 3 times a week and have used this almost, if not every time. I am so surprised at how long this lasted and have already repurchased it, the same size too as I don't see it necessary to buy the big one! You can buy it here. 

Another one of the chart-toppers is the John Frieda Frizz-Ease Serum which I have repurchased for the 4th time. That's right, FOURTH! I buy the Extra Strength version and always end up buying 2 at the same time as that's when they're on offer, like 2 for £8 or something, which is ok as I know I'll use it! I use a pea sized amount on wet hair - it says damp but I just can't wait that long! If I do try to wait until my hair is damp, I'll probably forget to apply this. You can buy it here.

That's my hair edition product empties, both of which I've already repurchased! What are your hair product must haves?

Autumn/Winter 2013 Makeup Trends

Hello!

Firstly, I want to say Hello Fall! Today marks the first day of fall, hence why I decided to write this for today! Many people think that Fall/Autumn starts on the 1st of September but it's actually towards the end of September - huh? Who woulda known? haha!

Okay, so I was going through many articles on Fashion Week, and 2014 summer/spring trends that I thought I'd just take one step back and put together a Fall-Autumn (whatever you want to call it) and Winter 2013 Makeup trends - talk about living in the moment, hey?!

So there were some that really stood out to me:

Focus on the EYES

The eyes are the 'centre-piece' of this makeup look - this would be perfect for a night out, also blue compliments many eye shades, so it is definitely something you can try out. Also note the nude-ish lips and cheek colour - and how they're very much the same shade. That's also trendy.

Liquid-Lined Liner

Liquid liner was seen in a variety of places, Alexander Wang had a very simple thin lined look as well as nude everything - very minimalistic - and on the contrary was this Dolce & Gabbana thicker flicked feminine line. As well as this, notice the blood red, almost vampy lips - also very popular.

Lashes Ahoy!
Okay the 'Ahoy!' was very summery and out-of-season of me, I apologise! ;)

 

This image captures the trend of bold brows as well as the full lashes. Not only that, also see the same nude lips and cheek colour effect as earlier (this time by Emilio Pucci). 

This image features the full lashes, thick, flicked liner and blood red lips - a very classic look, presented in this image by Dolce & Gabbana, that never gets old and is again on trend this year. Check out my Review for my FAVOURITE mascara here. 

Smoked Out

Finally, the dark eyeshadow from the first image is matched in another classic: the Smoky Eye. Paired with nude lips and cheeks, this is another great evening look, easily pulled off and something that will forever be in style. 

Okay, so that's it, fellow glam-ista's! 

Let me know you're looking forward to/enjoying this season! 

& Check out this post for fall fashion! 

images from: here

DIY: Summer-ify Your Notebook

Hello!

Now that I'm on summer vacation, while I've had a lot of 'do nothing' days, I like to be a little more productive: whether that be tidying my room, doing some chores or just catching up on some reading. Sometimes this can be a little harder than you think, especially when you find that there are a lot of things that need to be done, but very few you actually want to do... are you with me on that? ;)

Well, I have always been a fan of writing diary/journal entries since I was quite young (hence why I now have this blog) and thought that I should vamp up a plain notebook for use as my next journal as my current one was coming to a near end, where I shall pack it away my memories....

You will Need:
- Fabric (enough to cover your notebook)
- Glue (I used PVA - try and get some that dries clear)
- Scissors (to cut... obviously)

Method:
- Cut enough fabric to fit the size of your notebook and leave about 2-4cm extra so you can glue it in
- Apply Glue to the notebook
- Carefully stick the fabric onto the notebook
- Fold in the edges and use the scissors to cut off too much excess
- Glue this
- Stick the front and back pages of the notebook to the cover as this would hide the edges of the fabric glued down (I had already written on the front page of my notebook so just got some pink paper, cut to size and did the same kind of thing to hid the excess and make it look neater)
- Leave to dry (mine took a couple of hours, yours may vary depending on the glue/fabric)

That's it! Can you believe that this was once a plain, old, slightly broken, boring black notebook I probably would not have used?! Hey, I guess doing this DIY can save the planet too as it saves paper - see, if I didn't DIY this, I would have bought a new, prettier notebook than the boring, plain one and the boring, plain one would have not been used, hence wasting paper, hence NOT saving the planet!

 

Doing this was so incredibly easy and there are an endless amount of patterns you can do! I used this lovely floral piece of fabric to create a floral cover for my journal, hence it being Summer-ified! You can add extra 'bling' if you want to or even add some velvet or fur fabric to add texture - hmmm, I think I'll do that next time!

Well, there we go, that's what I DMS (Did MySelf - haha!)...

Okay, well let me know what you'd like me to 'DIY' or DMS (Do MySelf) next time!

Keep Blooming, Berries!
xoxo,
BerryBloomXO

PS. How do you like the new out-ro 'Keep Blooming, Berries!' - creative, huh?? :P