Monday 22 August 2011

Celebrate good times, COME ON!

Life can (and should) be full of things to celebrate. Whether it's something big, like passing an exam, or something small, like making a particularly excellent cup of tea, there's always an excuse to celebrate and have a little party - especially if it means you can win prizes!


To celebrate their "Aussie-Versary", the very generous and lovely folks over at Aussie are giving seven Swell readers the chance to win a super-cool summer party pack, as shown in the photo above. You will even be able to choose from any of the Aussie-versary Limited Edition Ranges to go in your pack - pretty cool, huh? Not only that, but the winners will also have the opportunity to take part in a challenge, with the chance of one person winning 10 tickets for them and their friends to the HUGE Aussie Summer party in October! Best competition ever? Probably!

To enter, all you have to do is tell me if you have anything to celebrate. It can be anything at all, and I do mean ANYTHING - the more creative and interesting the better. Just leave your answer in the comment box. It's that easy! The only catch is that the competition ends at midnight on Wednesday 22nd August, so you need to get your answers in quickly.

Need a little inspiration for your answer? Here's what I have to celebrate:


This is Barney, my beautiful little baby nephew. He's just over two months old, and he's insanely adorable! He's always smiling and happy, and I am so proud to be his Auntie Frankie. So I would like to celebrate that!

I can't wait to hear all about your celebrations!

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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Sunday 7 August 2011

See Africa Differently

Yesterday I attended Africa Fashion Week London with a number of other bloggers as part of the See Africa Differently campaign. See Africa Differently is an initiative from Comic Relief that aims to re-educate people about Africa, and to celebrate the many positive parts of African culture that are often forgotten.

I really enjoyed the day, and it was very inspiring to see how many of the designers mixed classic elements of African fashion, such as bold prints and statement accessories, to create strong modern looks. I could easily fill this whole post with the many hundreds of pictures I took, but instead I will show you my personal favourites.




I was really taken by these pieces by luxury label Ozora. With a mix of vibrant colours and fusion of textures, their dresses have a definite high-end feel while also being highly wearable. Can't you just see Beyonce rocking that last one?






Colourful, eclectic and ultimately refreshing, Adopted Culture really packs a punch in the statement style stakes. Created by Nana Afua Antwi, who also happens to be the current Top Model of Colour UK, the collection screamed youth and fun. I am now obsessed with these traditional African Head Wraps - aren't they stunning?










Adaora's collection brought a sense of regality to the catwalk, with strong structuring and rich indulgent colours. I particularly loved the detail and luxurious feel of the full-length dress coat - very Elizabethan and elegant.

I would like to say a BIG thank you to the lovely people at 1000heads and Comic Relief for a truly inspiring and enjoyable day. If you'd like to find out more about the See Africa Differently campaign, head over to the website and get involved! They will also be announcing an exciting competition tomorrow where you can win two amazing items from the ASOS Africa range, as seen on the likes of Michelle Obama. Good luck!

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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