How to Stretch out too small Shoes

With the advent of the internet came internet shopping and with that, the oh too familiar cry of "It doesn't fit!" minutes after that shiny new parcel arrives in the post. The majority of retailers are actually quite good at letting customers know what size will suit them with measurements etc but there's still room for error, Brick and mortar stores invented change rooms for a reason after all.
Shoes seem to be an area of particular concern, with UK sizing and American sizing frequently being out of whack I have ended up with shoes that just don't fit on numerous occasion, too big can be dealt with thanks mostly to socks being back in fashion, however shoes that are too small? What can we do?
Lucky I have two techniques for stretching out small shoes involving common household items that you should already have lying around, and they're both easy to achieve. Method one will suit leather better, method two can be tried on other fabric shoes. Please note they will not work miracles when the shoes are sizes too small, but that extra 1/2 to one full size? Give them a go, you've got nothing to lose and wearable shoes to gain!

Shoes available from Dune London

Hair Dryer available from Priceline

Socks available from Topshop

Method one

You will need:
Two pairs of socks
Blow drier
Shoes in question. I have tried this with normal leather shoes with success, but I don't know how it would go with patent, let me know if you have tried it!

Put the two pairs of socks on your feet and the shoes over the top, it will be a very tight squeeze, but the socks should cushion so you don't feel pain, once you have all that on your feet, get your blow dryer out and give the shoes a blast all over for  few minutes on a hot setting, careful not to scorch them! You want the shoes nice and warm but not too hot. This will help make the leather pliable.
Once the shoes are warm, get up and walk around your house until they have cooled down.
Lather, rinse, repeat as necessary! Do it at least three times or until your shoes feel more comfortable without the socks.

Marc Jacobs Shoes available from StyleBop

Plastic Zip Lock bags available from Coles

Freezer available from The Good Guys

Method two

You will need:
A freezer
Tough zip lock plastic bags
Shoes in question

This method works particularly well for shoes that pinch, and where you would use some extra toe room.
Stuff the plastic bags into your shoe so that the opening is accessible, and the bag reaches into the nooks of your shoes.
Take this contraption over to the sink and pour some water into the bag, not too much, you need there to be room in the bag for the water to expand into, make sure you squeeze out air from the bag too before snap sealing it closed.
Pop the shoes into the freezer overnight with the toes angled down.
Again you may need to repeat the process, and I'd be hesitant to try this out with patent shoes, but I have done with with leather shoes without issue.

Thanks for reading! Have you tried these methods before? How did they work for you? Do you have any foolproof methods for stretching shoes? Let me know in the comments!

Topshop launches in Brisbane!

Yes, completely aware that I'm a little late in this news and hopefully you've all already been to check out Topshop's gorgeous new store in Brisbane! During launch night I was lucky enough to gain access to the event and even ask Chairman of Next Athleisure Hilton Seskin (The company responsible for bringing Topshop to our shores) a few burning questions about Topshop.

How will Topshop/Topman cater to Brisbane?
A lot of research goes into any new location we open in, and we strive to understand the local fashion scene in order to tailor our collections to the audience. Combining this with our fast fashion philosophy, this is one of our key points of difference in the market.

Where will you be opening next in Australia?
These is a new location coming to Melbourne at Highpoint Shopping Centre and a store is planned for Perth in 2014.

Has Brisbane influenced the current collection?
We have sent Topshop/Topman designers to Brisbane to design exclusive wares for our latest audience. The collection we have in store here is custom selected and designed with Brisbane in mind, so there are many items in here that you won't find online or in other stores.

Are the collections in Australian stores what you'll find online?
Not quite, You will find completely new designs for each store each season and while there may be familiar themes we select different fabrics, shapes and stories across our stores.

What do you like about Brisbane?
I have been here many times and I'm finding that Brisbane is becoming more quirky. There is a renewed interest in the little laneway cafe and the trendy restaurant, There is a lot of personality and individual touches to find.

So how about that! I'm really impressed to find that amount of research and care is put into each Topshop location, Have you checked out the shop? What did you buy!

Chalky roots, Begone!

Chalky roots, ugh. Since becoming a pink haired fiend I've been washing my hair less and have become a slave to the wonderful world of dry shampoo. Always used it since it become the new thing but just never as much as I have in the last few months! Personally I love the Batiste brand as it comes in so many yummy varieties, but following that is Klorane, the scent may not be as delicious by but god it does the degreasing job like no other! Both of these varieties can be easily found at Priceline.

Anyway, I've discovered a neat little trick to avoid the chalky roots that makes it so obvious that you didn't have the time to wash your hair.
Spray your hair with dry shampoo the night before! You want to do it the usual way, shake the bottle, lift sections of your hair to focus on your roots and remember that a little can go a long way.
By doing this you ensure that while you're sleeping, the product will get dispersed throughout your hair and you won't get obvious marks. You may need to change your pillowcase, but to me that's a small price to pay for perfectly non greasy hair the next day.

Have you got any other nifty tricks for dry shampoo? What brands do you use?

Sambag Celebrates their First Birthday at Wintergarden Brisbane

I love an Aussie success story! After reading the news and seeing stories about renowned labels going into administration, or being sold to new overseas owners it really makes my day to see Sambag thriving.
For those who haven't heard of this label yet it is the epitome of Simplicity being the ultimate in sophistication. Renowned for their impossibly soft ballet flats and classic accessories, it's a brand that you cannot go wrong with.

Luxe Scarves to finish off an outfit

I'm completely in love with these Leopard Print Ballets!

Earlier this month I had the privilege of having an early viewing of their upcoming range and to meet the designer and creator of Sambag - Sam Wagner herself. I have a lot of admiration for her, as a single mother building an entire label from the ground up into an international brand with stores in Australia and Hong Kong, Sam even sold her engagement ring to help fund the venture, which as you can see has truly paid off!

The store invites you in with chic light scarves perfect for our upcoming Summer hanging luxuriously from displays, accompanying supple leather bags and shoes that beg to be touched. The Signature shade of blue speaks volumes of the effortless chic the label embodies.

Designer Sam Wagner with her creations (Pink flats! <3!)

Jewelry by Deepa Gurnani, Clutch by Sambag

Of course I had to try on some of the wares! I completely fell in love with these incredible bracelets by Deepa Gurnani. The Cuff styles are created on a leather base with lobster claw closures, and I simply adore the studded one on the top, Perfect to stack, you've really got to go and see them on yourself.

The wonderful team at Sambag Brisbane

Sambag Brisbane is located in the recently refurbished Wintergarden Shopping Complex, Nestled in Brisbane's humming CBD, the girls in store are waiting to help make the shopping experience something to savour!

Sambag Brisbane

Wintergarden Shopping Centre

Shop G14, Ground Level

171-205 Queen Street Mall

Brisbane

(The same block as the Hilton Hotel)

Opening hours

Mon – Thurs 9:00am – 5:30pm

Fri 9:00am – 9:00pm

Sat 9:00am – 5:00pm

Sun 10.30am – 4:00pm

Have you been to Sambag or Wintergarden recently? What gorgeous things did you find?

How to choose the right Fake Tan for your Skintone

Summer's coming, for a lot of us out there it feels like it's already here too! So here I'm going to tell you how to avoid a common dilemma with an ubiquitous Summer product.
How many of you out there have used fake tan only to leave the experience looking like a Cheeto/human hybrid? Or even something more interesting? This has scared lot of girls into never going there again or worse, shelling out far too much money at the professional spray booths. Sunless Tans come in a massive array of brands and varieties that it can be hard to find which one will work for you, but hopefully you will know your skintone, and that can make selection a lot easier.