Dream Jobs – The Festival Fashionista: Sarah Flynn of Phestival

Imagine making a living from partying your Summer away at all the best festivals? Your job would be to capture every hilarious moment on camera, be a source of information for every festival enthusiast, and – most importantly – to style the outfits of everyone present. For many this would be a dream job, but for Sarah Flynn (above, right), an ex-building surveyor from Liverpool, this is actually a wonderful reality.

24-year-old Sarah founded Phestival in 2009. Her company consists of everything from running a full-time website to visiting each festival and selling her Phestival goods. Although the company sees it’s busiest times in the Summer (with a killer 19-hour shift for the night-long Global Gathering festival!) the maintenance of the company and website keep her going throughout the year.

What inspired you to launch Phestival?

I was actually a building surveyor stuck in a ‘normal’ 9-5 job… Bored with the routine, I spent summer of 2008 attending every festival possible! I’m obsessed with personalised items and realised that at festivals there wasn’t anybody providing a photo or key ring service for memories! That’s when I considered doing it myself, only, instead of personalised key rings, we thought t-shirts would be better.

Is managing Phestival a full-time job?

Most people think that we are only busy in the Summer time as this is the festival season; however, the preparation that goes on behind the scenes is actually 24/7! At the moment I am applying to the festivals that I would like to trade at – most applications are released in January. Also, now that we have the online shop and the website, I spend every single day updating the site with current news and information so that people can find out all they need to know about any UK festival through Phestival.

One of the best bits of the job? "We sleep in the main area when everyone else gets kicked out!"

Are there any websites, magazines or celebrities you rely on to give you an indication of what will be popular in festival fashion?

I absolutely love Company magazine! They feature so much information on festival fashion and festival news that it gets me so excited. A celebrity that we rely on for festival fashion has to be Fearne Cotton. She is our ‘festival queen’. Everything she wears becomes an instant craze at a festival. Last year, for example, was the fluffy animal hat that she wore to Radio 1’s Big Weekend in May. After that people couldn’t get enough of the animal trapper hats!

Of all the festivals you’ve been to, which one did you enjoy the most, and why?

Our favourite festival so far has to be Global Gathering. It’s our favourite because it is relatively small in comparison to others (about 40,000 capacity). The team behind it are so laid back and fun that it rubs off on the festival and creates such a fun atmosphere.

Justin Lee Collins and his friends after purchasing a personalised Phestival t-shirt at V, 2011

Festival fashion has become a fashion movement of it’s own in recent years. Which 5 staple garments or accessories would you recommend to someone who was visiting a festival?

Festival staple garments haven’t changed in a while so they’re quite simple to follow…

1. Bright coloured wellington boots
   Everyone has a bright pair of hunter wellies with thick, colourful socks. No matter how nice the weather is, the grass still goes muddy because of the amount of people walking on it.
2. Sunglasses
   Whether it’s sunny or raining, sunglasses are an essential part of a festival outfit. Our biggest sellers are our RayBan Wayfarers as seen on Tinie Tempah and Rihanna.
3. Hotpants
   It doesn’t matter whether its thunder and lightning, you still wear hotpants. All the dancing and walking will keep your legs warm!
4. Flower garland
   The latest festival staple is the signature flower garland. Complete with a very hippy feel, every girl needs a flower in her hair to complete her look. (I’d recommend Big Mare’s Marebands. You take a peek at her bands by clicking here – Rose.)
5. A thin parker coat
   Nothing too big, just something that you can throw on when the sun goes down or when it rains just to stay dry. There’s nothing worse than getting soaked and then sleeping in a tent, you just wont dry off!

These Noir Jewelry NYC bracelets were popular this Summer after Beyonce was seen to sport one at Glastonbury

Sarah’s top tips for starting your own business:

• Visit www.businesslink.gov.uk for information on setting up the business.
• Meet as many people as possible in your field of work – the more you can spread the word about your business, the more you’ll open doors of opportunity.
• Don’t feel threatened by other brilliant companies. Take guidance from other sources but just be sure to make yours better!

The Phestival team with Sarah, third from the left.

In an economy where everyone seems to be so glum about making a living, it is so nice and refreshing to speak to a career driven girl who loves her job and started it from sheer determination!

If you feel inspired to go for your dream job after hearing Sarah’s story, remember to read my ‘How to Land Your Dream Internship or Job’ feature.

www.phestival.com

P.S Are you a student in Liverpool? Sarah is currently seeking an intern to assist in her social media and marketing. You’ll only be needed for one day a week, making this a wonderful and flexible opportunity! Click here to view the vacancy and for details on how to contact Sarah. 

A fabulous vintage find for the Peaches Christmas party

This Thursday, the Peaches and I embarked upon our Christmas night out. On Wednesday I went shopping for my party dress, and would you believe the very first thing I saw was the one I bought! Here’s the story of what happened.

Recently, fashion designer Tanya Maxwell moved in next door to us Peaches on Dale Street. She’s the lady behind THIRtEEN fashion and her designs have been spotted on everyone from the ladies of Desperate Scousewives to the girls of The Only Way is Essex. Tanya was joining us in one of her own creations and making dresses for Rosie, Kate and Polly…

Nicola had already told us that she’d snapped up a little Sherri Hill number…

…and Katie and Lizzie both had floor length gowns prepared. As the last one to sort my outfit, the pressure was on. I decided that on a student budget and with a need for something crazy, there was only one thing for it – it was time to go vintage.

My first stop was at Bullet on Hardman Street, and little did I know it was to be my last. Explaining to Joanne, the owner, that my maximum budget was £50.00, she advised me to browse the vintage section.

On this particular occasion I was feeling especially open minded and told Joanne that I was willing to try anything that was “really glitzy”. She turned to a brown paper bag behind the till.

“I’ve got… oh, no… it’s too much.”

Anyone that knows me well will know that the words “too much” were in fact the exact things to sell the dress to me without even seeing it.

“Let me see!”

Before I knew it I was draped in the most amazing dress I have ever owned. A fuchsia pink floor length gown that weighed more than me, this dress was beaded, tasselled, sequinned and embroidered in a configuration that was every dressmaker’s dream.

It was slightly big at the back (one of the catches when purchasing vintage!) but Tanya kindly whipped out the needles and stitched me up a treat. The icing on the cake, however, was the alarmingly fabulous price.

“That’s £25.00 please.”

Knowing that I spent on this jaw-dropper of a dress what would normally get me nothing more than a t-shirt in Topshop has sealed the deal for me… from now on, The Only Way is Vintage!

There are lots of beautiful vintage shops in Liverpool. These are some of my favourites.

• Bullet on Hardman Street
• Preserved Vintage in Quiggins Attique
• Raiders Vintage on Renshaw Street
• Little Red Vintage on Bold Street
• Pillbox Vintage for the ultimate vintage fairs. There are so many fairs operating in Liverpool but Pillbox tend to source companies that do not have a shop or stall so lots of their stock is exclusive.

Stay tuned to the Peaches and Cream blog for my guest post on everything that happened that night. This will include step-by-step guides to all of our hair and makeup, who was the best on the pole in our Boogie Bus, who passed up the champagne in favour of the Lambrini and all sorts of other scandalous gossip.

How to Spot a Twenty-Something Fashion Blogger

Blogging is my favourite hobby. I love writing my blog and I love reading others, mostly because I have always thought of them as such a personal thing.

Today, however, when catching up with some of my favourite twenty-something bloggers, I started to wonder… are we all the same? Are some of the things that make me ‘me’ actually clichéd and standard in the blogging world? Here are my suspicions. Please bear in mind that these all relate to me and I am in no way teasing; the people mentioned here are some that I look up to and admire the work of.

1. Bloggers love cats.
My cat Poonam is the love of my life and all of my family would tell you that I am genuinely obsessed with her. In fact, I don’t even call her Poonam most of the time; she is better known as ‘the baby’ (feel free to unsubscribe). When I’m at Uni my mom sends me photos of her every day, and when I am at home she doesn’t leave my side.
Star blogger example: Temporary:Secretary and her partner in crime, the gorgeous Oscar.

2. Bloggers wear too many rings.
I don’t know why but we all seem to do it. One ring? You’re joking aren’t you? If there aren’t four or five all thrown on together then your outfit just ain’t up to blog-scratch.
Star blogger example: Llymlrs.

3. Bloggers are partial to macaroons/cupcakes.
Considering the fact that my sister makes amazing cakes and is a dab-hand at sugar craft, I thought this was just me. It’s not unusual for her to call round with a fresh batch because she’s trying a new icing or cake mix and needs us all to sample them for her (I know – it’s a hard life). But no. Apparently lots of bloggers love cupcakes, especially artfully decorated ones. My suspicion is that we were all way more influenced by that Sex and the City scene where Carrie and Miranda tuck in than we had ever previously realised. That, and that they’re delicious.
Star blogger example: Flying Saucer

4. Bloggers adore tweeting.
Sometimes, especially when you’re studying English Literature and read all the time anyway, you can’t always find the time to read your favourite blogs in full. When this occurs, it’s easier to keep up with your fave girls on Twitter. Whether they’re hashtagging the events that they’re at or summarising thoughts on the latest beauty/fashion press releases, you don’t always need to read the blog in full to hear exactly what’s going on. It’s very handy, although we all seem to love divulging useless snippets such as food and aforementioned cats on top of this.
Star blogger example: CowBiscuits

5. Bloggers are always doing their nails.
From something simple like a coat of Barry M Nail Effects to an elaborate leopard print concoction, bloggers are always pampering their nails. Nail art to a blogger is just as much a part of the outfit as any other garment.
Star blogger example: My all time favourite blogger, Gem Fatale

All in all, what I’m getting at with these observations is that bloggers are a tribe. They set trends and are brands of their own and it is fascinating that a network of so many like-minded young girls has emerged within the last few years. Think about your favourite bloggers… do they fit this mould? Are bloggers the new celebrities? I’m not sure how or why this particular breed of girl has become more and more popular but one thing is for sure – she’s certainly fun to read up on.

*All of the images used in this post are taken from each blog accordingly.

Going Ombre – the Ultimate Recessionista Hair Colour

When I saw this photograph of Fearne Cotton my mind was made up. As much as I’ve always loved having blonde hair, the root upkeep is a nightmare and said roots can easily take a beautiful outfit and makeup from classy to trashy. In search of the perfect middle ground, I decided that my next step would be to explore the ever popular ombre trend. When taking a leap into the unknown, I enlisted the help of my two favourite partners in hair colour crime… Tammy and Cristie from Voodou on Bold Street, Liverpool.

As I stepped into the salon, my hair was icy white. Tammy had used silver toner on me for the last few months to take all of the warmth out of my blonde hair and give it a cooler finish, similar to my ghostly white skin. Spray tanned to the nines by Nicola at Peaches, I was ready to embrace a new tan and a new colour on this day of transformation. Here’s what I looked like before.

Tammy added some low lights to my blonde hair to begin with, breaking up the full colour and making it more multi-tonal. Luckily I was quite open minded about the whole experience; although I’d shown Tammy the photo of Fearne, I was actually quite open to whatever she thought would go best, so I let her have a play and decide what she thought would work well. Voodou is a chain in Liverpool but this particular branch are known as the ‘colour specialists’ so I knew I was in good hands.

Following this, she and Christie began to paint the brown colour all over my roots, stopping mid-way and sealing the packets with two sheets of foil rather than folding them upwards. I took the time to enjoy my temporary Statue of Liberty makeover and catch up on some reading for A la Mode Appraisal. During this time Tammy explained how popular this hair trend had become during the recession because it is so low maintenance. (When generally chatting about food, she also happened to mention that she doesn’t like “anything banana-ry… except bananas.” Quote of the day!)

When it came to rinsing my hair, Cristie first removed all of the colour and washed my hair. After this, she used a toner on my blonde ends to warm them up a little; the harshness of the white blonde would have been too much of a contrast to my dark roots. As I looked in the mirror at my wet hair, I already had a hunch that I was going to love it!

Giving me a traditionally Scouse bouncy blow, Tammy finished my transformation with some Moroccan Oil to give my hair back some moisture. Et voila, a brunette was born.

I normally go to Voodou on a Thursday or a Sunday because on these days they offer half price off all colours. For more information visit the website, and make sure you’re in with Tammy and Cristie!

www.voodou.co.uk

Exploring My Lime Crime Magic Dust Rainbow

A few weeks ago fate and luck collided to bring me an amazing makeup surprise. Pay day had arrived and I was planning on purchasing the Magic Dust Rainbow from Lime Crime. I had used their eyeshadows before, one more gorgeous than the next, and so my plan was to purchase this package which includes all 16 of their colours at a slightly discounted rate. Fortunately, the discount was to be greater than I had ever anticipated!

Normally Lime Crime sell this package for $190.00, $34.00 cheaper than if you were to purchase each shadow individually at $14.00 each. However, on one particular evening Lime Crime reached 55,000 fans on Facebook and so they launched a 24-hour 55% off SALE! Excited and amazed, I invested not only in my Magic Dust Rainbow but also in three of their gorgeous lipsticks (at this price, it would have been obscene not to). Isn’t the packaging beautiful? Not only are the purple and yellow glittery boxes so pretty, but the products themselves come cased in a similarly bright and unicorn-clad attire. My makeup box has never looked prettier!

What I love about Lime Crime Magic Dusts is that they are so bright. Their light, powdery consistency goes on so smoothly and easily but still stays fresh and bright throughout the evening. Here’s a very blue look I created using three of their colours: Twilight on my lid, Empress as my under eye liner and Shoe Addict along my socket. I also used some black MAC eyeshadow in Carbon to intensify the corners of this look and give it a little bit more shape.

As always, no makeup look is complete without a Peaches and Cream false lash. Keeping it classic, I used a No.9 strip eyelash to add some drama to this look. You can purchase these lashes from the Peaches and Cream online shop.

For ’Tales of the Unicorn Queen’ from an inspiring makeup artist, visit Doe Deere’s Blogazine, it will brighten up your day.

www.doedeereblogazine.com