HURRay for HURR, the AirBnB of Fashion

As I parade through the London canal in yet another gray day, I thought I would share with you what’s been cooking on my side lately.

You know a grey day won’t stop me from wearing colourful outfits so when I stumbled upon the beautiful Rainbow puff dress from Selkie, I was instantly in love. However, I had been postponing getting anything from Selkie because despite its gorgeous dresses would save animals, their garments do not save the planet. And as part of this years’ resolution I really have been trying to reduce my shopping consumption and living by the example of Reduce, Recycle and Reuse. We need to help our lovely planet!

So, when I heard about Hurr, the self-proclaimed AirBnB of fashion, was renting these pretty dresses (and many other luxurious items), I thought it was about time to test this out.

I have just returned two of my first HURR rentals and I must say: I am in love.

From the customer service to its delivery, this is one hundred percent a service I will be using again. Why should you use it? You may be asking. I know that every fashionista loves buying new clothes. However, it’s time to love fashion with a passion and care for our planet at the same time. Only if we act together we will see real results. And I am here for it.

Let me tell you some added bits that made me fall in love with the concept:

• I rented a Giambatista Valli gown for 5 days and it only cost me 80£ - That dress alone is one, SOLD OUT; and two: more than 80£ worth. That Selkie puffer dress you see on my pics? That was 30£. I felt like a princess, didn’t take unnecessary space in my closet and now it’s gone to somebody else’s sweet home

• Hurr allows its members to rent from other people’s wardrobes as well as lending your own so it’s kind of a win-win for all

• By renting other people’s wardrobes we are giving those clothes another use, avoiding further sales from unnecessary and wasteful high-street fashion and monetizing from it. Plus, you are engaging in the circular fashion economy :)

• To top it up, customer service is beyond fab and the delivery comes in eco and reusable packages. Shall I say more?

HURR, HURR, my friends!

TCB xx

Spread The Love

Valentines (or Galentines) is around the corner, and whilst we think that this day can be seen as an excuse for consumerism, we value the concept of showing love to others.

This year is going to be harder for many of us, on many levels. Being away or unable to be with those you love is tricky. So here’s a thought: why not spreading your love to those you care about for the whole month instead of just a day? Smile to others, tell them how much you care about them, give them a hug (if and when possible) or just be there for one another.

If there is something that being in lockdown has taught us is that as human beings we crave social interaction. Let’s make it evident to others how much we care for one another. After all, that’s all we’ve got.

And if you are lucky enough to be with friends, family and loved ones around this time and you want to do or show them some love, we’ve got a few ideas in mind. Check those out here.

Stay safe careless readers,

TCB xx

Celebrate Love With Fun Ideas At Home

Here it is! It’s that time of the year when we get all cheesy and show our emotions to others!
And we are all up for it.

Thinking about doing something special with your loved ones but don’t know what to do exactly? We’ve got you covered.

I feel every kid has made a home tent or playhouse table once in their lifetime. I use to do it all the time and loved it. Still do to this date, so why not play kids if we can? Take those pretty bed sheets and turn your living room in a cozy bedroom! A different setting is always a winner.

April’s baker is our dreamy inspiration for this activity. Her cakes are not only beautiful but also delicious (grab one if you can, they are totes worth it) but if you can’t get hold of one yourself, why not make that a fun activity at home?

For other deliveries at your doorstep, see here

Old school is cool, so pick up your phone, select your favorite photos and make a small photo album for yourself or those you love. It will forever be there for memories! We love FreePrints and Snapfish (especially cause you get 50 prints for free every month!)

And make a canvas together or create some unique handmade candles like these ones over here and here.

Hope you get to spread the love as much as you can.

Sending you lots of love from our end,

Stay Safe,

TCB xx

Painting Candles Fiesta

Art is you being free from all of the world’s heaviness.

What are you waiting for to grab a brush and a notepad and set your mind free?

Now let me start by saying that painting may not be fit for all, and that is OK. I know the fear of creating something that isn’t up to our own standards can be high, but what if painting was something we do just for fun?

It’s important (and healthy!) to take your inner kid for a spin every now and then and I couldn’t think of a better way than making some cheerful pillar candles whilst sipping a bit of bubbly and nibbling on some goodie goodies. I don’t know about you but that sounds like a delightful evening to me. Especially now since most of what we can do is being at home.

I am not an expert on art therapy, but for me crafting something with your bare hands is a great way of expressing yourself and the state you are in. Whether you are in a happy mood or a grumpy one, the end result of creating a piece will make you wonders. I can promise this will be something that will 100% happen to you, but I would say there’s no harm in trying. It may also be lots of fun!

For me, the months of lockdown wouldn’t have been the same without painting. I am quite a hyper active person. Those who know me, know that I love doing things all the time and take joy in doing many things. Inevitably, when the idea of staying at home for a longer (and longer and longer) period of time hit, it was hard to cope. Painting was a great solution to my anxiety, and it could also be yours.

And if it isn’t, at least you got some nice art and candles along the way!

Chin chin my dears,

Here’s to more wonderful and entertaining evenings/ weekends at home.

TCB xx

Circular Fashion Ecosystem

Source: Vogue Business

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Seems pretty simple, right? Let’s make it happen. If there is something that has set in my head as I devote myself to fashion day after day is that it can’t continue the way it is. Not from a consumer point of view and even less so from a business point of view.

Every day that goes by, climate change worsens. Our beautiful Earth is sick and drastic measures need to be put in place to improve this situation. The fashion industry is responsible for around 5% of all manmade greenhouse gas emissions, and that percentage is set to grow, so what can we do to tackle this massive problem?

REDUCE your consumption of clothes - Let’s go back to the good all days of slow fashion. What was so wrong about that? We’ve got into the habit of the “I want everything and I want it right now” but the reality is that our planet suffers big time from that behaviour. I love fashion, and if you love it as much as you do you will still want to play with your outfits, but perhaps it is worth investing in better garments that will last us longer than buying cheap quality (mostly synthetic fabric) outfits that will not only last very little but you will get tired of very quickly?

REUSE clothing that needs some loving - Instead of buying a new piece of clothing, why not renting it or buying second hand/ vintage? There’s vast amounts of clothing that is donated to charity shops and second hand stores and these are in fabulous condition. I guarantee you that you’ll find every single trend in one of these places and is certainly fun to think you are going back in time by putting somebody’s old clothes as brand new into your wardrobe. What’s the big deal about it? Not to mention that these garments are usually better quality fabric than those that you buy brand new and at a higher price. Think twice on your next purchase! And if you need some recommendations, we are big fans of Vestiaire Collective and our beloved Thanks God I’m a VIP second hand store for all things luxe and vintage and HURR for clothing rental.

RECYCLE those clothes that you no longer love - I am sure as a good fashion lover you will have many things that you either don’t love anymore or want to get rid of in favour of the latest trend. Whilst that is totally OK, be wise in how to dispose of your clothes. First of all, can you pass them on to somebody else? They would probably give it as much love as you did and it’s a great way of recycling and reusing clothes again. If that is not available to you, then of course looking for charity shops or clothing banks to dispose of these would be your best option. Some garments will be more difficult to recycle than others (the biggest problem of this whole process, types of fabric!) but nevertheless worth it.

Change is difficult, but together, we can make great things happen.

This gorj hand bag and skirt are both second hand from a charity shop down the road and i love them.

Theme Nights, Taco Tuesday

My careless readers, how are we feeling today?

There isn’t that much entertainment available to us at the moment, so we thought we would provide you with some ideas to be entertained in the comfort of your cozy casa. And our first suggestion is…

Theme Nights

At Home.

Pretty simple, right? Just need to pick up a theme, which can be as fantasy as Alice In Wonderland or something close to home, like Spanish Nights would be in my case. Once you’ve got the theme covered, the rest will come pretty easily.

Let’s put our most recently choice as an example. Last week we decided to do Taco Tuesdays (which is now rolling into a weekly idea given its success), and whilst cooking has certainly become a key part of our entertainment, why not go a bit further than that?

Now in order to make your theme nights a success, there’s a few things you need to have on your checklist:

Now off you go!

Enjoy and stay safe, my dears.

TCB xx

Raving At Home

Wohooo! It’s the weekend!

Yes, we still are at home.

And we are determined to have a good time!

It’s Friday morning and I am writing to you all naked from my bed. Isn’t it a great time to be alive? I consider myself very lucky to be healthy, working from home and ready for a great weekend.

Peter Pan and Tinker Bell here have been trying really hard not to get the #staycation get to them, so we wanted to share with you some ideas that have kept our weekends full of entertainment and #goodvibesonly. All you need? Happy Energy, Booze (duh!), a projector and some damn loud speakers (pssst UE Boom are very loud and great). Here go our recommendations:

FRIDAY: Turn the volume UP for Karaoke Night

Release your anxiety and week stress with some banging tunes at home! Whether you like it or love it, karaoke is always great fun. It’s not about who sings it best (though I am a bit competitive…), we love being silly!

Masters of karaoke (in London) Lucky Voice are certainly prepared for this and you can either use their "equipment free” karaoke site and app or go all-pro and get their microphones and box set at home. We’ve tested the former and it was a great success. We used our kitchen wooden spoons as microphones and had lots of props prepared for a variety of songs (along with a selection of cocktails, of course) and our voice was just so fiiiine~~~~~~

SATURDAY: Boost some energy in your very own club night

First of all, if you are ´going out´ (staying in), you’ll need to dress the part. You don’t go out in your PJs, do you? Put on some make up, perfume, and an outfit of your choice. You are gonna kill it tonight!

Start the evening with a cocktail making class - Experiment with the spirits that are in the back of your covered. They have to be drunk at some point, surely? We made a contest out of it, giving points for presentation, delivery time and taste. My cocktail won! It was a refreshing cucumber and basil G&T. Delish.

After cocktails comes the food and it’s time for a take out, but make it fancy. Nobody wants to get cooking today and you deserve a treat!

Uh-oh! How did it get so late? It’s time to get down to business, more cocktails on the go and music on please!

The set up is pretty simple, one of you in the house is in charge of the bar, the other is in charge of music and visuals. For that, you’ll need your computer, ideally a projector and some speakers. Depending on the music you like to listen to, you could head to Boiler Room or RA to check what DJs are doing live for the night (which has proven to be very fun lately) or pick on of your favorite DJ sets from Youtube. We watched Floating Points at Printworks and Midland on a German Festival and they were both awesome. Now, if what you want to hear is just pure commercial bangers, that’s fine too! Youtube and Spotify have quality video options. It’s OK if there are no visuals but we found that seeing other people having fun encouraged us to keep dancing. So much so, we went to bed at 4AM.

Hope you do too. Enjoy the weekend peeps!

Take care, stay safe, #stayathome

TCB xx

Bring Your Own Story, At Home

it’s funny how important play can be in our lives. Research suggests that those who engage in play are more switched on, increasingly able to connect and engage with others and are also significantly more productive.

I’ve always thought I am quite the player. Competitive to say the least, but also an explorer, lover of all sorts of exercise and activities that get my heart rate up and, above all, addicted to storytelling. I live off stories. Whether these are my stories or stories I hear from others, storytelling feels like a drug to me. It enriches me and it gives me a rush very few other things give me.

It was no surprise that when I was introduced to the concept of BYOS I was bought in from minute one. Bring Your Own Story is a concept very close to my heart, and one that I try to put into practice as often as I can, specially now given most night entertainment is off the cards. The concept is simple, a curated evening with your friends to explore a theme of your choice, whether that is as light as ‘travel adventures’ or as deep as a ‘heartbreak’ can be. Prepare an intimate dinner, drinks, and off you go with the storytelling!

Needless to say this experience works at its best when you invite your friends and they invite an outsider to the party. Expand your network! A bit more tricky these days, but if you are able to do it, I would advocate for it.

Meeting new people is always thrilling and those people who have a good story are never to be missed.

TCB xx

Vintage Clothing For The Win

Are you looking to have a sustainable relationship with fashion? Then look no further, VINTAGE is the solution to your queries.

I feel vintage has been a thing for me since I can remember. I recall after school dates with my friends in Carrer Tallers in Barcelona, looking for the perfect Levis 500 to take to the beach bar.

Looking for a designer bargain in one of the many vintage shops in Le Marais in Paris.

These days, vintage shopping feels must. It certainly is for millenials like myself. All big urban cities have access to incredibly curated pieces from the likes of YSL, Chanel, Versace and more. The quality that you will find in these garments is, in many ways, much more delicate than those that you will find in new high street shops like H&M and Zara.

More over, the pieces you are buying are part of history. An item that lived in experienced different eras and many stories and yet, is ready to take on board a new owner. When you shop vintage, you are buying uniqueness, quality, and on top of everything, a better, greener planet.

It is undeniable that the fashion industry is continuing to damage the planet. As thrifted mentioned in a recent article, the fashion industry generates more greenhouse gases than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. It is the second biggest consumer of water, and generates 20% of all wastewater. Evidence shows that as much as one third of all the clothes we buy, end up in landfill.

Big manufacturers claim better approaches to clothes making by 2030, but many are just using this as their new PR stunt. When you look at the small print, there is a lot of #greenwashing. In light of all this, why would one go for the new and worse quality outfit when you can get something unique to you?

Be part of the change whilst still loving fashion and choose vintage for the win. You will find anything and everything you wish for.

P.S.: The outfit you see on this post is entirely vintage, excluding the beads bag that i hand made during lockdown.

TCB x

Caring for the Oceans

Every second breath you take comes from the ocean

Take care of it.

Hello my dearest,

Today I come to you with a matter close to my heart, the ocean. For a girl who has been living 5 minutes walking distance to the sea almost all her life, the sea means a lot. And it was only recently that something that has been happening for decades reality hit me: we are (somewhat) killing it.

Did you know that there’s already around 100 million tons of plastic in the oceans around the world?

Or that each year more than 1 million marine animals are killed by plastic in the ocean?

Yup, neither did I, and it’s really worrying, cause it gets worse. More plastic waste gets into the ocean all the time. On average, one garbage truck per minute. Isn’t that crazy?

As I was paddle boarding a few mornings ago, I encountered a bottle of H&S Shampoo in the middle of the sea. There it was, in the middle of the sea. That just comes to show how much damage has been done and that we as a community need to do something about it.

We shouldn’t allow unclean waters in our local beaches. That is just not OK. We need better systems.

Oil spilling should be condemned. How things like this still happen is beyond me. But not all hope is lost.

Many organisations are committed to combat this massive problem. Ocean CleanUp is one of the most innovative, aiming to develop efficient tools to halt 80% of plastic from entering oceans (as garbage mostly come from rivers) as well as developing a passive cleanup method that will rapidly and cost-effectively clean up the plastic already in the ocean.

There are many others, some of them worth noting, not only because of their initiatives but also their education:

Parley For The Oceans has enabled us to learn more about the global problems around plastic pollution and ways in which we can help avoid it. The organisation has teamed up with big corporate to reuse plastic found in the ocean and give it another purpose. They host webinars and events and you can join your local facebook group to see how you can support them clean-up and take action locally

Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit organisation (US-focused) dedicated to protect water resources and prevent pollution, protect beaches and shorelines as well as to keep beaches free and accessible to all, contributing to the reduction of plastic pollution. There’s a whole network of volunteers that helps to respond to these threats as well as educational activities to raise awareness.

Balloons Blow opened my eyes to something I had never expected: the impact of balloons in the sea. Super fun to play with, specially for big occasions such as a birthday or a wedding, these ballons, even if biodegradable, will negatively impact the marine life. For starters, the ink on the balloon is toxic and takes maaaany years to dissolve and the string accompanying the balloons can strangle animals under the sea. We should avoid this from happening.

5 Gyres Institute is dedicated to reducing plastic pollution through science and education and have already successfully contributed to it with campaigns resulting in the ban of plastic in cosmetic products, for instance. They host webinars and events (mostly US) and their research has been published in several scientific journals

Plastic is a design failure. AVOID single-use plastics. INTERCEPT the plastic that is already damaging the environment. That is by helping cleaning your local area as well as supporting organisations that can achieve greater outcomes. And lastly, REDESIGN plastic into a new premium item. Instead of creating bigger amounts of trash that can’t be erased, recreate something with it. Give it a purpose.

Water Sports For The Win

COVID-19 has certainly brought a lot of bad news, but that’s not the way we want to look at things at TCB.

Our reality is shifting. How we work, play and engage with others may not be the same as it was, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing.

As the lockdown lifted in London and I was allowed to fly back home to Barcelona, I took the opportunity to work from there for a while. Let me tell you, it’s been a treat. Being close to my family, old friends and having a new reality has made me more appreciative of my London life but also of how lucky I am to have Barcelona (or rather, Badalona) as my home town.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 and the stupidity of some has led to a rise of new cases in Spain, a 14-day self-isolation was put in place by the UK government. Unprepared to face for such news, I decided to stay at home (we can work anywhere so why not take advantage of it?) a little bit longer and that has let me to a whole new discovery: WATER SPORTS.

It is difficult to believe that this hadn’t occurred to me before, living by the sea. However, my home visits are always so short, that I tend to spend most of my time catching up with friends and family and not so much by myself or on myself. Here come the good news: the fact that I am now allowed to work from wherever I want, allowed to stay home for a longer period of time and opened up a paramount of opportunities, one of them the water sports school in town, Espai Mar CNB.

SUP (Stand-Up Paddle), Kayak, Sailing, Windsurf, Catalan Catamaran…think of any sport related with water, and they’ll delivered. The schoolwas initially set up as a summer camp for kids, but little by little the owners realize how much potential this had for young and adults alike. Why constraint such fun only for the little ones?

I certainly like getting my inner child so my morning routine now consists on a swim by the sea and a 1h paddle boarding in the sunshine before getting started with work. Who wouldn’t want such treat? I FEEL ALIVE!

TCB xx

Digital Birthdays

I must admit, I would have never thought that I would be spending my birthday enclosed in my house. But it is what it is and we must look for all silver linings.

Those who know me, know how much I like to keep myself and those around me on a positive note. If you exude good energy you will attract good energy and I am firm believer of that.

My birthday just passed and I had my hopes that I would still be able to celebrate it at a bar at a later time in June, however those hopes did not materialise. Living in London, we had to stay in this lockdown limbo longer than in other cities. But that’s OK, we had a plan B, and so should you.

Is your birthday coming and you can’t go outside? Bring the party home and share it with your friends online. How? Follow this simple steps we provide you with.

1. Pick up a theme for the night and put your friends in competitive teams. Everybody will make an effort and you’ll get higher engagement. From Hawaiian party to a Mad Circus, the options are endless. Ensure your friends are preparing for the night by giving them small tasks and providing them with few props for fun prior to the day.

2. Turn your house into a party venue. Just cause you are home doesn’t mean you can’t turn your house into a party venue. Zoom backgrounds are fun for the viewers but it is more fun to feel the environment you are in, too. You will be leading all the shenanigans so it’s best you are in that mode. You will also keep your friends wondering what is going in the house :)

3. Buy all the accessories needed for the night in advance. Given the current situation, delivery times are uncertain, so it is better to be over prepared than worrying on your birthday day. TOP TIP: Get yourself some fun props for the night (we got a piñata!) but also remember to get something silly for your friends. Involving the participants is key for greater engagement (and excitement).

4. Prepare some online games. We have all been invited to online bingo and quizzes, but surely there’s more than that? Think about your selected theme and what games could you put in place related to it. For example, in our Circus Night, we asked each team to come up with a show for the circus and gave them 15-20minutes on the night to prepare for it (in breakouts).

5. Get a cake but get your friends to blow up the candles. It’s your party, but it wouldn’t be the same without them.

TCB xx

STAYCATION, celebrating our Earth

Probably late to the game but never late enough to celebrate the world we live in. April 22 this year marked the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and damn, what a world we are living in!

Despite all the sad news, the (COVID-19) isolation, the ups and downs, the crazy climate change…We love our planet, and really is the only one we have, so we should take care of it. Celebrate every day we spend on it like there was no tomorrow. That’s what we recently did, and we encourage you to do it too!.

One beautiful Saturday morning, we got up, and decided to celebrate nature, the Earth. Here we tell you how (you can do this even if in lockdown)

Have a green breakkie to bring in that Morning Glory (and some fuel!) - Check out our INDULGE section from some foodie at home inspiration!

Pack a light snack and immerse yourself into the outside world. Be eco-friendly and pick up a bike for a ride to a nearby park/ forest. We are lucky enough we have Epping Forest not too far from London, so we embarked ourselves into a new adventure. Definitely worth it. Take the time to walk around the nature and taking in everything that is around you is a magical feeling. The vibrant colours of spring, the fresh smells, the beautify of its quietness…it is priceless.

Since we can’t really be staying out at the moment, head back home and continue the fun there. Just because you are indoors doesn’t mean you can’t pretend you are in the wild. We turned our living room into a camp site and build up a tipi from ceiling to floor. You can do so in a lower scale just by creating your little tent under your living room’s table, one of our childhood sweet treats. Bring all the essentials to the tent, as if you were out of your home. A book, some music, drinks and food and you’ve got the rest of the evening sorted.

If you are lucky enough to have a terrace or a patio, you can venture yourself into having a BBQ, the ultimate outdoorsy experience. We love how grilled veggies (and meat) taste on the barbie, what can we say. Now, we understand this is not very eco-friendly, and so in efforts to offset our bad behaviour, we support the plant a tree reforestation campaign every time we set fire.

It’s night time already, so head back to your tent to finish the day with some bed time stories and a hot herbal.

Wasn’t this the best day ever? We thought so, too.

STAYCATION, but make it artsy

Hello careless readers, how are we doing in these fabulous times at home? As the weekend was approaching we were thinking what we could do that wouldn’t be old news, booooring or too adult friendly. We know nobody likes that!?

What could we do to explore our dreams and fantasies? Art, of course. We’ve already crossed that gate at home, and let me tell you,
it’s been fun.

I know for some of you this may sound frightening. For others, it may be old news already. Either way, this is definitely something we encourage you to try or keep on doing. There’s nothing better than squeezing those creative juices. I am a firm believer that if you do that, not only it will enable you to think broadly and differently but also to feel more tired at the end of your day, resulting in a better night sleep. And my oh my, don’t we all love those!

There’s many ways you can engage with yourself, here we tell you a few.

Be The Art

Recently, the Getty Museum threw an amazing challenge at us. Whilst we are unable to visit all our favourite museums around the world, the masterminds behind these institutions have passed the ball to us. If you can see the art, BE the art. Recreate it at home, and have fun.

Of course we had to try this and whilst I wanted to recreate Velazquez´s Venus, we ended up going on a modernist tangent and replicated quite an unknown Miro piece. Needless to say this was pretty unrecognisable for most, but equally so much fun!

If you are needing some inspiration, Tussen Kunst & Quarantaine is your ally.

Create Art

My latest quarantine creations :)

Creating art is a wonderful thing. Absolutely subjective to each other’s perception as well, which I find fascinating. What is art in your eyes may not be for others but really, who decides what’s good or not? In our opinion, as long as you have fun along the way, it doesn’t matter what the end result is.

There are many ways in which you can create art. That could be making beautiful and eye captivating #FoodieMonster dish to scrapbooking with prints of your photos. Needless to say drawing and painting are a favourite of ours.

Depending on how crafty you want to get, you may want to invest in few long-term pieces such as paint, paint brushes, pencils and drawing paper or canvases. I am a big fan of supporting small business so I would encourage you to check out your local art dealers to get a good deal on these. Great Art (our fave!) and Jacksons in East London are fabulous and are doing quite a quick home delivery.

Yesterday we turned our home into a life drawing studio. We put lots of scented candles on, classic music on the stereo and a glass of vino in one hand and a pencil on the other. 20 minutes for a different pose and a lots of sketches later the night was ended. It was great fun.

If you are into scrapbooks or collages, Paperchase has fabulous cheap and cheerful options. Splash the cash on some washi tape and stickers to make it all more fun and then get 50 prints FOR FREE! on Snapfish. I am a very into my photos and scrapbooks, so last Christmas I treated myself to a portable smartphone photo printer and it has been THE BEST. In case you are like me, check it out here

Digest & Learn Art

This one is certainly for the art lovers. I particularly miss my Sunday visits to the Hayward Gallery to check their latest exhibition. Or the approachable museum lates every first Friday of the month. Needless to say I can’t wait for the next fashion exhibit at the V&A. But whilst all of that will have to wait for a while, why not getting parade by truly experts in the matter on a virtual tour to your favourite museums? And not only in London but around many major capital cities?

Museums are currently providing a huge range of activities to enjoy from the comfort of your own sofa. From grown-up workshops and art courses to kids friendly art making activities, the options are vast. The Tate Galleries in London and MoMa in New York would be a great start. If you have VR googles at home, then we also suggest you try the National Gallery’s virtual tours.

But it is not only down to museums to tap into the artistic scene. This also entails the realm of music and video art, for example. Or podcasts, even! You can learn a lot from podcasts, and we’ve certainly take a turn on this to get ourselves more educated and interested in non-coronavirus matters. This American Life is an amazing storytelling podcast, and I’ve recently stumbled upon A Piece of Work from Abbi Jacobson (hello, Broad City?), which is hilarious.

Don’t think about it any longer, let’s have some fun!

TCB xx

STAYCATION, but make it Fashion

Hello careless readers, how are we doing in these crazy times?

The Easter weekend is almost over and my beaut and I continue to #stayathome safe and sound. Despite being indoors most of days, I must admit, it’s been very nice. In fact, I still feel I don’t have enough time to do everything I want!

Whilst concerned about the global pandemic, we are trying to keep our #GoodVibesOnly alive and I’d love to share that spirit with you today.

I know I’ve been absent, but it’s been difficult to process everything that has been happening for the past month, and I really wanted to figure out what I wanted to tell you moving forward. In addition, I am luckily still working on my full time job, which is also why you haven’t heard from me for a while but I am committed to continue to catch up with you and provide you with some entertainment through these rough times at home.

Now, I know the temptation to stay on your PJ´s or those comfy leggings is real but if you landed in this page you most certainly love fashion, so don’t let it slide! Now more than ever, you have time to enjoy your creative and fashion side, at home. Not sure what to do? Here our recommendations:

1. MARIE-KONDO the hell out of YOUR WARDROBE

Your wardrobe looking a bit full and messy? Bring your inner Marie-Kondo to life and sparkle some joy to that closet of yours :) It will be an arduous task, but extremely rewarding. We speak from experience!

PS. If you are wondering who Marie Kondo is we’ll be shocked but we’ll forgive you. Get to know the master of organisation on her Netflix series: Tidying up with Marie Kondo.

2. REJUVENATE YOUR OUTFITS…

…by coming up with new outfits or even creating new pieces with what you’ve got in store (i.e. your wardrobe). I will also add to the mix what Emily Gilmore said: “If it brings you joy, keep it. If it doesn’t it goes.”

I am sure sure sure you have many items in the closet that haven’t seen the light for a good while. I feel you sister! We all tend to have our easy go-to outfits, those that we can put up without even thinking. But it is important to not forget those piece you once love so much. Whilst you are tidying up your wardrobe, I am sure you’ll come across few gems. Think how you could give those a twist and come up with a new outfit with the clothes you already own. On the other hand, you could just wear your fabulous gown on a formal working from home day to jazz things up? What outfit role do you want to play today? Check us out for inspo

3. BECOME A DESIGNER FOR THE DAY

Have you watch Next In Fashion on Netflix? If not, we’ve just given you a new series to binge watch. For those who know what we are talking about, you’ll know where we are headed. Drawing! Designing! Creating! You can create something new with what you already have. Yes, you heard me. All you need is a pair of scissors, paint and perhaps some patches or embroidery. Those pair of jeans that you don’t wear? Give them a splash of white paint, or paint a pattern you like in them et voila! You’ve got limited edition denim, right here right now. Or if you are not into painting you cut do some fringing on your trousers, jackets or even crop top some of those old school tees you don’t wear that much anymore. Experimenting is key to a fun day :)

4. PLAY WITH YOUR YOUNG SIDE (OR YOUR SIBLINGS/ FAMILY)
AND TIE DYE

Pick a white tee you don’t use as much anymore or get a new jogging set (on amazon, for example) and experiment with tie-dye! We used to do this a lot when I was little and I had plenty of fun doing it. Needless to say it’s easy, it’s fun and every piece is unique. And is on trend! Win-win. The brand Rit Dye is great and available on amazon; you’ll have to select the colours you like rather than getting a kit. If you are looking for a quick and inexpensive kit without fuss, then we recommend this set here

5. GET INSPIRED BY KEY PLAYERS IN FASHION…

…on a variety of podcasts and live sessions available on instagram. Almost all big names are doing sessions to keep ourselves entertain so check their instas and I’m sure you’ll be surprised by how much they are providing these days. There’s so much content out there I find it hard to keep up! I personally love Business of Fashion and ManRepeller, but equally there’s a bunch of documentaries on Netflix worth watching.

Happy Quarantine!

Lots of love,

TCB xx

Recycle and Upcycle, what else?

Hello careless readers, how are we doing?

It’s Sunday night and I must admit, I’m quite tired. It’s been a hell of a week and I could not be happier to be on my PJs right now. As I sip my cup of tea, I have started to think about what to wear this week (yup, I’m a big planner) and that made me wonder through my wardrobe.

As part of my new year resolutions, I’ve decided not only to get less clothes (less quantity and more quality is key) but also to re-use a lot more what I have. Don’t you feel you always end up wearing the same clothes despite having an entire wardrobe full of beautiful outfits?

It’s time to upcycle our game, and I speak for the both of us. If you pick up items that have been stuck in your closet for a long time and mix and match them, you’ll feel like you are wearing a brand new outfit. Not only that’s the cheapest way of getting yourself a new look, but also is free and good for the environment. Isn’t that amazing?

If you are feeling creative, you can actually get those unworn clothes and create a brand new piece. A bit of cutting here and a bit of sewing there and here you have a new piece. OK, that may require some crafty work and a sewing machine, but dreaming is believing! I’ve seen great creations coming this way. Repurposed clothing is the way to go guys.

I’ve become a great fun of second hand clothes. I’ve always been really, but recently I have found myself rummaging for good quality pieces on vintage shops and flea markets and I have managed to score a few good ones. One of my most recent gems was a red tartan tweed jacket. The details, the fabrics, the manufacturing (made in England!)… it screams quality out loud and yet it didn’t cost a fortune. Also the shirt I am wearing is second hand, a men’s GUESS shirt in perfect condition. Score!

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By re-using clothes or buying recycled clothes, not only you’ll get a one of a kind piece for yourself, but you’ll also be super Planet Friendly. The clothes that otherwise would have been discarded are now getting a new use, isn’t it lovely?

TCB x

Photography by Roz Alcazar

Caring for Earth, Still Loving Fashion

Hello careless readers,

How are we doing this week? From my end, it’s been a hell of a ride for the past few weeks. I just moved to a new place and, on day two, I found out that my room was infested with bed bugs. NO FUN. And all my pretty clothes had to be put in high heat or in the freezer, or even dry cleaned! It was intense, to say the least.

Aaaanyhow, this year has been quite transformative for me when it comes to my relationship with fashion. I feel I’ve become a bit more conscious of how the Earth is suffering by the way we live and I thought I needed to do something about it.

I love fashion, probably as much as you do if you are reading this. I love my clothes and my #outfitroles. I am a total fashion victim. I love reading the magazines, watching the fashion catwalks and being fashion police while brunching with my friends in the city. I love shopping too, of course. However, I feel my way of shopping needed to change for the better.

We’ve all been hearing about the damages of fast fashion to the Earth (if not, read this article), but we love shopping, right? It’s all about quality rather than quantity these days. Truth is, we all have plenty of clothes in our closet. Do we really wear it all? Or is it we just like to wear something new every now and then and then we forget about it. chuck it? I think we’ve become used to doing that and as a result the Earth is suffering from it.

My approach? Buy less and buy smart. Vintage is on a high and you can pretty much find any trend on second hand shops. You don’t even have to go thrift shopping if you don’t like rummaging through clothes, sites like Vestiaire Collective have incredibly beautiful and curated vintage/ second-hace pieces waiting for you online.

Otherwise, clothes-swaping is always a great idea. I recently went to a workshop about sustainable fashion in the current era and I discover The Nu Wardrobe, an app that pretty much connects you with other fashionistas to swap clothes. It’s like going shopping without spending any money! They do charge a flat rate of £35 to become a member, though.

Oh hey ho, it’s all about the quality, not the quantity. You may spend more beforehand, but the returns will be higher in the long run, for you and the beautiful planet you live in.

TCB xx

To Be Real

Hello my beautiful careless readers, long time no see, huh? I must admit, 31 is not proving to be as fun as 30. Can we rewind a year, por favor?

There’s been a lot of sad news and unexpected events over the past few months and that not only has shaken up my world but world of my net’s. We are growing up guys, and it kinda sucks? Reality checks have been thrown at us front and center and unfortunately, we can’t deny reality, even if we want to.

Truth is, I have been feeling quite sad lately and didn’t really feel up to writing much. I couldn’t really portray my happy self like usually do. But something changed in the past week and I thought: Life is hard, but only I can change for the better.

I feel these days people talk about mental health more openly and I would like to think that that’s the way forward. It is important to portray a happy picture of your life if that’s how it really is. But it should also be OK to raise your voice, digitally and offline, if you are not.

In the current social media era we live in, it is sometimes hard not to pretend we are happy all the time. That’s how it’s presented in front of us, right? Well, we all go through shit, we just purposely decide not to show it to the world.

It’s not the first time I hear somebody say how they feel their close friends are so happy all the time because they’ve seen it in pictures and videos but then reality it’s quite far from the truth.

Why do we do it? What’s behind of it all? I used to say to myself that I like to portray a happy image to the world because I feel I am not only encouraging myself to be that way but also, I hope I do so to others, and I stand by that. However, it is also important to show when I am not feeling OK, and I guess I’ve been a bit guilty of dismissing that.

It’s been a very difficult summer. I’ve been dealing with a sense of loss that I haven’t experience before and my anxiety levels have been off the roof lately. So much so I’ve been keeping an anxiety chart to track how I feel. I want to be better, but that also starts with me trying not to go stir crazy unnecessarily or going stir crazy but reflecting on it to understand what’s going on in my head and how to tackle it. Mental health is so complex. I’m just trying to make a bit of sense now and it is hard.

But hey, life is hard. And it isn’t fair. And it really hurts like hell sometimes. So much so you feel there’s no end to it. But if we focus on what is within our power to change for the better, we might.

I saw a quote that really inspired me today and I hope it inspires you too: when life gives you a hundred reasons to break down and cry, show life that you have a million reasons to smile and laugh. Let’s do that.

TCB xx

Vacay with Friends: 8 Rules for planning a great trip

Listen, we get it. Planning a group trip is always stressful. We are all excited to embark ourselves into an adventure together, but coming to consensus can be sometimes tricky, to say the least.

Tips that should make your planning smoother

1. Once you’ve decided on a destination, Lock in your flights quick, the rest can be done later.

2. Set up a budget pool so that nobody is disappointed, and targets are clear from start.

3. Democracy is key, everybody has a say and that’s the best way to reach consensus. Despite it causing friction at times, it is necessary to be equal.  

4. Don’t let one person take all responsibilities. She/ he will feel under pressure to please everybody and will burn out quickly

5. If there’s one person designated as a planner, don’t forget to thank the planner. It’s free and mostly appreciated!

6. Set up a piggy bank or a split fare app for all expenses, you want no misunderstandings when it comes to money, money, money

7. Avoid the use of phones when together. This time together is to enjoy yourselves, together. It’s not coming back, so you better enjoy it as is. Not paying attention to your peers is rude and makes an impact in the group dynamics. Quintessential rule: at dinner, phones go in the middle of the table. The first to reach for theirs must buy a round!

8. Have Fun

And take pics along the way,
memories in your brain and in paper!

Turn Your House Into An Adult Slumber Party

Adult Sleepover

A Guide to have your house ‘slumber party’ ready

Peter Pans out there, we get you. Who wants to grow up? All the fun happens when you are a kid, we just didn’t know it.

But that’s OK, we are here for ya. Following our desires to continue to be kids, we’ve come up with another idea to try at home: The Adult Sleepover.

Yup, we said it. Girlfriends, booze, movies, beauty, fashion and food, lots of it. All the good things in one place at the same time. Could this get any better? Well of course, we’ll be helping you get things sorted so that you don’t stress about a thing. BOOM.

TIPS TO RUN A FUN NIGHT IN WITH YOUR SQUAD

0. First of all, pyjamas. Don’t forget pyjamas.

We are all up for theme parties, but this does not have to turn into a Becky G ‘Sin Pijama’ videoclip, either. Tell your friends to be fierce, but no need to go crazy on the outfit. It’s all about being yourself, in whatever format that is 😊

3. Champagne Papi, aaall the way, all night.

Bubbles should be running all night long, please. OK, if you are not into it or budget does not allow, then grab a bottle of your fave alcohol and make a cocktail for the night. Margaritas, Espresso Martinis and Cosmopolitans are currently banging

5. iT’S TIME FOR GOSSIP AND GAMES.

People are always keen to play, but in many instances, we just don’t know what. Board games are always a winner (Trivia, Twister, Pictionary, …) But if you don’t have those at hand, a good old game of charades or ‘who am I?’ is always great to break the ice.

For anything else, Karaoke. Karaoke with your hands and a youtube clip or do it properly through a console; either way, we are fans of sing-along.

7. SEX AND THE CITY.

To finish off the night, set your night camp and put on a classic rom-com. Or just go straight for the Sex and The City Boxset. We all know that’s what you wanted to do from minute one.

1. Prep the house for your guests. First impressions are key.

Make sure there’s enough resources for the night (and morning after!): loo roll and toiletries, pretty flowers & candles throughout the house, and lots of candy are essentials to keep everybody UP, UP, UP!

We are great advocates of keep our world green, therefore it is also essential to make sure we have enough cutlery and glassware to accommodate all guests. Say bye, bye to plastic and score a fancy look to your slumber party.

Wanna have an extra touch with your girls? Add personalised slippers under the bed for each one of them.

4. Have a dinner menu set to go on the night

It’s a night to enjoy with your girls, not to be stressed about having to prepare any food or mess the kitchen around. If your girls are crazy healthy, there’s plenty of cold salads you can prepare in advance of the event (I love a Green Salad with Falafel, for instance). Otherwise, indulging into treats is also OK! Burgers, Pizzas or Dumplings are always a goer, in our opinion. Order take out or have this nearly ready closer to the event date.

6. THE NAIL STATION

A good sleepover requires a bit of pampering. No need to go crazy, a good nail polish station will work a treat. You can ask each one of your guests to bring their favorite tools and colors or you can set it up yourself, either way, paint away!