You Said You'd Marry Me.. If I Was 23..

Fashion’s [Free] Night Out

Sorry I haven’t updated this blog with my random ramblings in over a week. Once again I blame work. I’ve been compiling an editorial report at work and it’s taking me forever – my only advice to you other PR girls and boys is to compile the editorial as soon as you have ANY coverage as it takes forever to do once you let it all pile up on the computer. It’s taken me an entire week and we’re still not fully done! So ridiculous! But anyway, I’m just so happy it’s the weekend now that I won’t even rant!

Another reason I haven’t been able to update this is because my boyfriend recently got employed by a law firm so we both get home in the evenings and all he wants to do is chill before bedtime – He doesn’t even let me read my magazines which are also piling up! Things adding up is really becoming a reoccuring theme in my life now!

On thursday this week, my friend Eisha from work dragged me to Fashion’s Night Out and it was meant to be a quick walk around, however, we naturally got fazed by all the free champagne, cupcakes and food so we ended up staying until 10ish and had the best time! All/most designer shops were packed with fashion saavy people who we were meant to schmooze but instead we drank ourselves silly and took tons of pictures on the free photobooths which I adore! Especially the tiffany’s one as I’m slightly obsessed with tiffany and co! We also que'd up in an Hermes que for an hour to play a game and win a goodie bag (which only had a pack of cards containing different ways to wear an Hermes scarf) and a bookmark and magazine but oh well, I suppose this is what you do for anything Hermes dahling! I definitely suggest you all go next year and make the most of this fabulously free night out! xoxo

Hell Hole.

Today was probably the worst day of my interning career! From 9:30am-6:30pm I literally did nothing except build, sellotape, and label 45+ cardboard boxes, and bubble wrap 20+ mannequin's all in preparation of Paris press day (which no, I won't be attending...) So naturally we're just asked to do the dirty work. Grr. On a positive note however, the 2nd picture of the mannequins bare ass really makes me die laughing. We genuinely forgot to wrap it up and then he just looked like a bandaged manneqiun about to be raped! Crazy, it was like a horror film - 'mannequin massacre.' The last picture is of my new Alexander Wang style duffle coco bag, woo. Too bad it's not the real thing but give it a few more years! In the mean time, I'm going to go sleep away the rest of my sorrows from the day and await the beautiful things that tomorrow might bring. Here's to wishful thinking!

A Sparkly Wish

So in the end my desires rules over my sensibilities. I bought these today and currently don't even care about my funding situation. Who would with sparkly shoes on?

Glitter Bitter

I am SO loving everything glitterfied right now, but I am also SO miserable as interning means I’m more or less broke as hell, as well as majorly into my overdraft… Despite this, I’m naturally still looking for amazing glitterfied pieces to torture myself with..

Asos Glitter Heels - £40

 

                                                 

                    Asos Rebel London Glitter Wedges - £40     

 

                                  

The first asos pair are so delicious and I love the entwined snakeskin detail. If there’s anything I’ve learnt at Banana Republic – it’s that snakeskin is HUGE this autumn/winter. As for the other 2 pairs of wedges, I’ve looked at them a few times now and sometimes they look so different, yet sometimes so similar. Obviously it makes more sense to opt for the cheaper version but I really like the unusual irregular wedge of the Rebel London Pair. But for a currently pauper intern, am I really in a position to pay £15 for one minor detail change in a pair of shoes? Hmm, I’d say I am!

A Week In Ambika’s Amazing World!

It’s friday night, 9:44pm, and here I am writing this blog. Naturally is not out of choice, I am 22 afterall. However, a week at Banana Republic has more or less killed me. I am currently in bed and unable to move and I am SO excited for the long weekend as it’s time to relax, unwind, drink and dance. Since I’m currently crippled, beaten and bruised (from the hard interning days, not from a random mugging attack) I thought it would be best to post pictures of the week to display the hard work behind stores that people don’t see! The next time you’re out shopping or reading a magazine, and you see some nice looking put together outfits, please take a second to think of all us hard working interns who work hard for nothing but a good reference! We are the ones who are doing things to attract all you people to shop in the first place - true story. Enjoy mi amore’s! xoxo

Shellac holding up after a week of nail torture.

Our desk – as tidy as it’ll ever be!

Props used for Gap’s new advertising campaign. Coolest looking bikes ever!

These pictures are of us preparing for Banana Republic’s press day event coming up in Paris. It’s total chaos
and clothes meltdown and we are only 40% done but somehow we are still alive!

So there you have it folks. The glamour really never ends in PR as you can clearly see hehe. But to all you fellow interns out there, just keep remembering that all our hard work will eventually pay off. Work hard, play harder! But alas, I’ll leave the playing till tomorrow night as tonight I’m off to snooze. Welcome to the wonderful world of fashion PR! xoxo

PR Princess

Working at Banana Republic is really fun and insightful and it let’s me use my creative streak when it comes to pulling outfits for magazines and other press.. But wow, I am SOO exhausted and it’s only been 18 days! In this short space of time, I’ve been given immense amounts of responsibility and really learnt so much so here are some tips from a fashion PR insider (albeit a mere intern – but don’t let this term put you off – I’ve come to believe that starting right at the bottom as an intern is where you get the best information. For example, today I learnt that you have to avoid saying ‘no’ at all times in PR. When a magazine calls and asks you for the most random thing ever, e.g. ‘a vest with a layer of sheer fabric, and panels of leather’ you don’t say ‘WTF?’ but instead you look through 100 boxes and rails of clothing to find something, anything, to suit the brief. I also learnt that my boss is super generous with giving us last season’s samples, yet the other boss on our floor limits her inters to 5 items of clothing per person.. Stingy much? Anyway, Follow these rules religiously and you’ll be employee of the month in no time:

1) Make a list of every single thing you have to do as soon as you get to work. If you think your memory is amazing then you’re wrong and over-confident. In PR, the amount of things you need to do in a day add up and you will have forgotten your day’s agenda by 11am unless it’s all written down. Trust me on this one. Write everything down and then cross it off as the day proceeds. Add things as the day goes on and just keep check listing everything off to make sure you’re on point.

2) Call magazines/newspapers/randomers who have your samples a week after they’ve been sent. AND THEN KEEP CALLING. This bit is super important because I’ve come to learn that no one gives a shit in this industry and it’s very cut throat so you need to look after your samples because other people won’t care enough, simple as. Follow up religiously and call back continuously to get your samples back or you can kiss them goodbye.

3) Be super friendly to everyone. EVERYONE. Postman, milkman, bus driver, colleagues, editors.. Everyone.

4) Learn the basics of photoshop.

5) Have good fashion taste – this means you are not thinking about fashion for you, but rather fashion for everyone. When publications call you about stories, you need to pick samples out from the collection that won’t just appeal to you but will have huge appeal to everyone because that is what makes your brand sell well.

6) Work hard, play harder.

7) And lastly, agree to do any job you’re asked as an intern. However, you can draw the line at walking your boss’s dog and spring cleaning their apartments. You’re an intern, not the hired help. But usually the term to follow is: Try to avoid saying no.

Anyway. Despite religiously following these rules there’s only one thing stopping me from total world domination and that is SLEEP. See you next time amigos xoxo.

PS: Even if you fail to follow the advice given, read the below and remember it, recite it and revolve your life around it because it is the only lesson in life which will take you to where you want and need to be in the long run.

Love.

It’s only models like Elsa Ekman who can give a girl the biggest complex! I love the way she’s incorporated a simple jumper with an ‘out-there’ dress that instantly stands out. Her shoe boots also add an edge of excitement to the outfit, while her black bag keeps the outfit casual for daytime. 10/10 Elsa, I LOVE. Let’s see if I can pull something this fabulous out of my own wardrobe for work this week to brighten up the days! Will keep you posted xoxo

When Hunger Strikes At 2am

My normally strict WeightWatchers regime was shot to hell this weekend, just like all other weekends. My menu consisted of crisps, chocolate, coffee, coke zero, Chinese noodles, and two random pieces of chicken. However, all I really want now is to transport myself back to Italy for the night to indulge in the best hot chocolate and four-cheese gnocchi ever… Sigh, I’m definitely having a ‘when in Rome’ moment while watching the 2am x-factor repeats. Such an interesting [and fatty] Saturday night hey!

Happy Day One Of Married Life Kris and Kim!

Even though she will probably get a crooked back from continuously stretching up to kiss him, I'm still happy that Kim - the royal bachelorette of LA - has finally been hitched. Though she's a few (and then some) notches more prettier than he is, they're still so cutesy together. Can't wait for the newest show by E "Kris and Kim The Housewife" or something along those lines to be released on TV for the viewing pleasure of her fellow stalkers/fans like myself xoxo

Rain? What Rain? I’m Dressed For August Mate,

Once You Shellac, You Can't Go Back...

As a third-week-of-interning-and-still-being-alive treat, I spent a fortune (£40) on getting my first ever shellac treatment on my nails. Normally I opt for the usual £15 manicure and tend to always end up with a bright colour, (you know what they say about having a good day if you wear bright colours.. actually, I probably just made that up). Either way, I seem to always have to re-apply my nail colour because it’s chipped by the 3rd day. Moreover, my nails are chipping even more now that interning normally requires doing some of the dirty jobs like carrying heavy boxes and rummaging through racks and racks of clothes to find a jewel of a sample. Not to mention the times in which 100 boxes filled with clothes avalanche and pile up on you while you’re attending to a call in for a magazine. I’m just saying. Anyway, so I thought shellac would be a good (cost-efficient) way to have cute nails despite the hard manual work in PR (oh the glamour never stops). The manicure took a total of an hour in which I had my nails filed, shaped, buffed, cuticles cleaned and then the actual polish (a cute pink called ‘gotcha’) left on to dry under a lamp every 2 minutes. The drying time was astonishingly quick and so far it all seems so good, no smudges or chipping to be noted. It’s supposed to last 2 weeks and as the next 2 weeks at Banana Republic’s press office are meant to be the busiest with the Paris press day coming up, I’m sure my nails will be tested to the limit and I’ll see real results of how the shellac holds up in tough times. I will report back then. But for now.. It’s got me hooked. And with all these colours to choose from, a girl's got a tough decision to make!