In Focus – Dahlia Fashion

Daisy Chain Chiffon Dress, £62

Last week, I took a look at Pret a Portobello, a savvy collective who noticed our love for London’s market culture and developed it to a globally inclusive level, effectively bringing the quirky markets of Portobello Road, Camden and Spitalfields to our front doors. Dahlia Fashion, a delightfully British set-up, founded by sister duo Tracey and Leigh in 2000, has also seen the fashion world’s desire for individual, one-of-a-kind designs, and have made it their business to deliver.

Dobby Glitter Collar Blouse, £45 // Lace Nautical Detail Dress, £70

With a fabulous collection of  clothes and accessories, Dahlia Fashion provides a pretty, on-trend style with a unique twist. Their strong focus on quality really sets them apart – the “cleverly cut pieces in fabulous fabrics, prints and bespoke detailing” really comes across in the beautiful dresses and intricate patterns and design.

Pink Ladybug Ring, £15

The website is appropriately pretty, like a scrapbook of hand-picked fashion postcards. Hand-drawn doodles decorate the blog page, which features three bloggers from the UK, USA and South Africa post their latest musings, and pose in their favourite Dahlia dresses. Helpful styling tips are also given for each item of clothing available.

If you’re in London, Dahlia have their very own boutique in the very fashionable Carnaby Street area, just off Oxford Street. If not, their worldwide delivery service will answer your problems! I love reading success stories like this; it is clear a lot of love, effort and fashion passion has gone into creating Dahlia, and moulding it into the brand it is known as today.

All Images from Dahlia Fashion

In Focus – Pret a Portobello

Being a London girl born and bred, I’ve always loved the amazing markets that my city has to offer. Portobello, which is within close distance to me, has been part of my life for a long time; my first home as a baby was there, and my secondary school was in the area. Camden market was somewhere I started to visit more in my teenage years, and now it’s a day trip staple.

But sometimes, as the founders of Pret a Portobello discovered, we don’t always have time to get to the markets. Busy lifestyles make online shopping much more convenient, and often some markets are only open certain days. Pret a Portobello fulfills our desire to pick out unique fashion pieces from brands such as Brat & Suzie, PPB and 18 and East, from the comfort of our own homes. They’ve even maintained the market haggling experience for selected products, where you can barter with an online trader to get a better price. Here are a few of my favourite pieces from the website:

L-R: Pineapple Top, £18, Mordinary // Taupe Satchel, £45, Meeka // Panda Top, £30, Brat & Suzie // Floral Bubble Dress, £15, BB // Enamel Bangles, £15 each, PPB // Layered Lace Shirt, £15, BB // Pink Flower Headband, £5, Poppy Daisy // Black Floral Blouse, £59, Jovonna // Vintage Gold Ankle Boots, £20, PPB

For me, although nothing can really replace the physical experience of going shopping, the internet shopping experience has some serious charms of its own. The immediacy and ease with which you can order new things, the excitement when the parcel arrives – just to name a few. Pret a Portobello provides a unique service, revolutionizing the way we shop, and bringing our favourite markets to our living rooms.

Top image from pretaportobello.com // Cream Crochet Top, £37.50, PPB