Friday, July 21, 2017

Capture The Throne Clothing //

Dear Readers,

Capture The Throne is a contemporary menswear and womenswear apparel brand that projects an artistic interpretation of revolutionary historic pinnacles through graphic art. 

Leather Skirt | Urban Outfitters Heels | Primark



Chernobyl, £45 | Capture The Throne



As my blog name so aptly emphasises it, I have a tiny obsession with 'band tees' and graphic t-shirts which ooze that rock chick vibe. 


Jeans, £9.99 (Was £29.99) | Zara


The brand creates unique streetwear pieces which can be worn dressed up with jewellery, a leather mini skirt and heels. Alternatively for a more casual outfit, pair with black jeans and tuck the t-shirt in for that model off-duty look.



Capture The Throne has strong visuals which embody a controversial culture where the imagery is meant to provoke discussion and opinion. 


The debut collection, Capture The Throne draws its attention to 1900’s Russia. Inspired by compelling propaganda, key figures and Russian tales, the collection is a medium for artistic storytelling.


Pravda, £45 | Capture The Throne


These pieces are versatile to wear and although the designs are striking, the soft colour pallet and use of pastels and bright colour make this apparel perfect for taking your look from day to night. The t-shirts are made from cotton so they are comfortable to wear as well.



Stay Sweet,


Alice xx

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Friday, July 14, 2017

Three Books To Read This Summer //


Dear Bandteesleatherandlace Sweets,

Books. No, not your core reading for university or those unsavoury "educational" compulsory reads. I am talking about fiction. 

When was the last time you read a piece of fiction, just because you wanted to? You know, that one you said you would read that is still sitting in your drawer, or the one collecting dust just stacked up on a bookshelf.

Photo: WeHeartIt.com
You can’t remember? Trust me, I understand. That was the situation I found myself in just a few months back. I have always loved to read. All the hours I could spend looking for the perfect novel in a book shop, is something I normally don’t talk about - I guess it's because snooping for new reads consumes so many hours, that it is almost on the brink of being embarrassing.

But then I had to come up with a concept for the extended project of my Arts & Entertainment module as part of my Journalism degree and it all hit me. A website to encourage students to read for fun. I did it mostly because I wanted to motivate myself to pick up those novels that I had bought but left in a basket under my desk and almost forgotten about all together. That was the birth of  my website The Page Turner.


Photo: WeHeartIt.com

So, I thought that I’d write this blog post to all of you out there and recommend a few books to enjoy in the summer heat or rain, on a beach, in the park, or just in bed after a long days work.


1. The Girl Before – JP Delaney 


I read this book to review on my website and I chose it because I did not want a soppy love story that revolves around the moment when a boy meets a girl, there is limited depth and only a few basic plots lines are employed. 


The Girl Before is a psychological thriller that creeps up on you so slowly that it is difficult to notice it, until it has already happened. It’s not jam-packed with car chase scenes, gun fights and all those thriller characteristics. This one is silent and a bit calmer, but damn – so effective. It will also be adapted into a movie in the future, so be sure to read it first!

The Girl Before, £4.99 (Was £12.99) | Amazon



2. Wilde Like Me – Louise Pentland 

This debut novel written by YouTuber Louise Pentland has received many kind words already and I anticipate that it will be good, light hearted, funny and a page turner for those of you who struggle to get back into reading.


Knowing Louise’s online personality, I simply cannot wait to read about Robin Wilde’s (the main character) ride through the challenges of reinventing herself and taking her life back. Robin Wilde sounds like kick ass single mum, that will have you laughing throughout the whole book – much like Louise does in her YouTube videos.


Wilde Like Me, £4.99 | Amazon


3. Not Working – Lisa Owens 

I can relate to this, even by just the title. As a recent graduate I am like the main character Clair Flannery, wondering what I am doing with my life and what I should do next. Clair walked out of her job with no plan B. Maybe she should do this and that and maybe she shouldn’t. Maybe the perfect opportunity always comes when you aren’t looking or expecting it. The Observer says it is “laugh-out-loud funny”. I could do with some laughing from a good book, what about you?



Not Working, £5.59 (Was £7.99) | Amazon


So, what do you say? Let’s turn the page together!


Stay Sweet
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Sunday, July 02, 2017

Why Love Island is Actually Educational //

Dear Readers,

Before you scream at your screen in shock at the title of my post, please hear me out...


Love Island has, over the years, grown on us Brits and somehow taken over our lives. I have become increasingly interested in understanding why we find relationship drama, drunk antics and sex on TV so appealing and I think I know why...it's somehow educational, in a twisted kind of way.

TV shows like Love Island are a time for girls (and guys) to congregate at 9pm for some serious reconnaissance. Get ready to take some mental notes.


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Trying to explain to my parents and family why I am still single is never an easy conversation. "But you have so much going for you", "You must have met someone new at uni", "I'm sure the boys are queuing up to date you"...Well not exactly. The queue may be well and truly there, but they show no signs of being the real deal. No one wants any kind of commitment.

That's where Love Island comes in, it has become the unsung hero. It's a prime device to illustrate to all parents, family members and the older generation why so many of our generation are classified as single.

This digitalised society we now live in, has well and truly messed us up and it's due to a number of factors:

1. Social Media - Social media has a huge part to play in the downfall of trust and loyalty. Its ambiguity leaves people feeling vulnerable, and so the lurking begins. Do you ever find yourself reading someone's tweets and thinking 'I wonder who that is about?'

Or you find yourself scrolling past a picture you know is a revenge 'look at me now' seflie which has been posted in the hope of getting a specific person's attention. A picture tells a thousand words, right?

2. Fear of Commitment - Commitment is our generations kryptonite. FOC is everywhere and people seem to wear it like a badge of honour. Gone are the days where two people can actually be a couple. 

You either fall into one of two categories - 'The Friend Zone' or what I have recently coined, 'The Casual Zone'. We all know what 'The Friend Zone' means, but if you find yourself in 'The Casual Zone', you will be familiar with having to work with this awkward bubble of confusion where you occasionally do relationship style activities, their friends don't know you've been seeing each other and plans are usually made on their terms. Things don't tend to get any better than that, so don't expect to ever hear the words 'I love you' any time soon. "It's not like that, it's casual".

3. The 'Grass is Greener' theory - Camilla and Jonny's situation is a classic example of the process I have also coined the 'Grass is Greener' theory. No matter how incredible the person may be, the other half can't see past their sexual urges and still keeps their options open in a bid to find a better person (which by the way is completely unobtainable) who ticks every box "on paper".  It's the perfect excuse to avoid any kind of serious commitment because the person is never happy with what they have in front of them.



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Before you choose to shun the behaviour of the people who go on this show, take a minute to appreciate what they are telling us about our own behaviour towards relationships. And for those of you who don't happen to fall into this generation, can you see now, why it is such a battle to find anything close to a traditional relationship.

So when you next tune in to watch Love Island, see at as less of a guilty pleasure, and more of an academic experience for bettering yourself. If they are "100% your type on paper" and you get on well with them, "crack on". But don't be "muggy" and "put it on someone" else at the same time. Maybe it's a good thing to "put all your eggs in one basket" and commit.

Stay Sweet,

Alice xx
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Peggy Porschen //

Dear Readers,

Friday was a busy day for me as I had meetings scheduled all over London, most of them being held at bakeries, coffee shops and eateries. I can't say I wasn't secretly happy that I could eat my way across London whilst I worked.


I brought Ellie along with me so we could hang out together in between meetings and it gave her a little taste of the life of a journalist.

We stopped at one of my favourite coffee shops, Peggy Porschen and soaked up the London sun whilst we sipped on tea and coffee.


Eton Mess Cupcake


Dress, £29.99 | H&M, Sandals | Brighton Lanes Market








Stay Sweet,

Alice xx

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