Girls Who Like Boys

Whether it's their leather jackets, a spritz of their perfume or one of their old shirts to sleep in, it's a truth universally acknowledged that women are forever stealing their boyfriend's clothing. Some may argue it's to shake ourselves out of a style rut, others simply declare that it's because their clothes are comfier (have you felt how much softer their jumpers are?!) and others (like us!) admit it's for pure laziness. Whatever your motives, there are definite advantages to taking some style lessons from the boys and with a menswear market that is growing at a faster rate than the women's and is expected to reach $438 billion in 2020, as shared by The Business of Fashion, it seems like the perfect time to immerse ourselves in the world of male fashion. Below, find our top tips for when it comes to taking style lessons from the boys:

(Picture courtesy of Business of Fashion - sometimes the best ideas begin with a #regram )

Keep it Simple: Back in the olden days, fashion for women was ornate, intricate and incredibly unpractical for anyone with a daily commute. Nowadays, designers are listening (thank god!) to women's needs and keeping things simple, structured and tailored to those working and living in the city. Our top tip for the perfect urban outfit? Choose a minimal outfit and let your accessories do the talking. Shop the look here if you fancy taking our blush Clemmie for a spin around the city in time for Spring.

Up the Contrast:  There is a certain allure to a woman who allows herself to be tempted by the cut of masculine clothing and in a world where it's sometimes so difficult to be a woman, the biggest statement we can make it to accept our femininity and embrace it. Don't be afraid to play with contrasts and combine sharper cuts with some pastels or romantic patterns like Kirsten Dust (picture courtesy of Vogue).

Mix it up with the Smart / Casual: Once a dreaded dress code associated with 21st birthdays and engagement parties, the smart casual is now the passe-partout of lazy girl fashion. Shirts play such a big part in this fashion trend and they're the perfect style piece to ensure you can waltz from the office and out for drinks in the blink of an eye. Shop the look here.

Buy Him a Gift You Can Both Use:  With Valentine's Day just around the corner, it could be time to treat your boyfriend to one of our Lou Totes. Large enough to travel or store his laptop / iPad for a day of meetings and made with our signature Italian leather, this really is the gift that keeps on giving as it effortlessly matches all of your outfit when you have oh so casually forgotten your bag at home (again!).

It's never too early to plan the perfect gift for Valentine's Day - remember to get in touch if you want to know more about our personalisation services.

Love,

Pepper Alley HQ X  

Pantone - 183838 Ultra Violet // Our Wish For 2018!

Let us begin by saying that yes, Prince's Purple Rain may have been playing on loop in the making of this post and no, we are definitely not sorry. If you didn't know (where have you been?!), in the Pantone world of all things colourful, Ultra Violet has been announced as the 2018 colour of the year.

As explained by Pantone, the mystical and spiritual characteristics of this colour have always been used by influencers as symbols of their individuality. The introspective quality of this colour has also made it popular in spaces for meditation and reflection whereas its cool blue base links it perfectly to the contemporary world where news apps and technological inventions are at the order of the day.

We are thrilled with this colour choice for 2018 as purple has been inspiring us for a little while over at Pepper Alley HQ as you may have seen in our previous blog posts....

(Pictures courtesy of Pinterest)

Ultra Violet has been described as a colour which lights the way for what is yet to come; perhaps this is the message that resonates with us the most and inspires our craftsmanship. This colour hints at the pursuit of discovering one's own creative potential and the limitless opportunities that can arise from sharing it with the world. 

Ultimately, this is our goal; creating something beautiful and functional which can offer glimpses of infinity for the men and women wearing it - what are they doing? Where are they going? What are their goals? We want them to know that those dreams that seem so out of reach, as vast and limitless as the night sky, can be at arm's length with the right attitude (and bag!). Here is our selection of Ultra Violet goodies to help you push the boundaries and express your potential:

And how could we forget our iconic Celine London Liberty Lining? Hidden within our Eva Clutch bags, they embody the Ultra Violet vision perfectly; a small mystical addition to elevate the mundane and unleash the potential of those who wear it! 

While we may have giggled and jokingly hinted on our Instagram about previously agreeing the colour of the year with Pantone over the phone, what we really want our clients to take away from this colour synergy is not only Pepper Alley's attention to innovative detailing and new trends but also our wish to our clients for 2018. This can be summarised in two key messages as beautifully expressed by Ultra Violet and its characteristics; don't hesitate to seek moments of inner reflection and refuge from this 'overstimulated' world, as Pantone writes, but also enjoy discovering the magic within you and use 2018 as a clean slate to release your full potential.

Get ready to paint 2018 in....Ultra Violet - and remember to shop the blog post here.

Love,

Pepper Alley HQ X 

2017: Our Year in Highlights

Whether you're reading this as you're getting ready for your NYE, lipstick in hand and glass of champagne perched precariously on your bedtime table or whether it's the first of January and you're reading in a haze of Prosecco and good intentions for the year ahead, we would like to wish you a very happy and healthy 2018 from all of us here at Pepper Alley.

To celebrate the year gone by and welcome 2018, we thought we would share a few of our highlights from 2017. Celebrating success is as important as looking ahead and planning new projects and no one does celebrating like the team at Pepper Alley!

#OutandAboutwithClemmie -  The year began in full swing with some love for our iconic Clemmie. We love street style photos and videos and who could have known that a short boomerang filmed on the first day of the year would have predicted one of the biggest colour trends for 2017? Millennial Pink, we are in love! (Watch the video here).

It's what Inside that Counts:  This year we have been working super hard on the fabrics for the inner lining of our products. And yes, when it came to February, we were feeling rather romantic with our Ruby and Emerald green lining. 

....Hello Spring! -  With Spring came a variety of additions to the Pepper Alley family. From the Crystal & Denim collection to our new Celine London Liberty Lining, it was a season of renewal and new projects which were very well received by our clients giving us all the happy feels. 

A Passion for Photography:  Spring didn't just gift us new launches and ideas but also reignited our passion for photography. With the help of fabulous product photographer, Tina Bolton, we presented our new Floras in a setting and style we were thrilled with. We loved the results so much that the photography of all our products got a little revamp as the year went on! To find out more about Tina's work, you can click here.

Putting the Pepper in....personalisation:  As you may know, we have been focusing on something that's close to our hearts....personalisation. Engraving initials, or a significant phrase, on our luxury leather products makes them that little more special whether you're purchasing a gift or a special treat for yourself. Don't hesitate to get in touch and find out more about our signature engraving options. 

....not just bags! -  Our note on personalisation takes us onto a key factor which shaped our 2017: we began to branch out from our signature items welcoming further additions to our collection. Hello key rings, bag charms and leather accessories! 

Magazine Features - We love to look back at the moments that shaped our 2017 and, sometimes, there is nothing better than being recognised for your passion. Pepper Alley was founded following our founder's search tote for a gold tote - these days, we love helping women (and men!) with their quest for the perfect item and these features are simply the best way to connect with more of clients across the UK, and why not, the world! Thank you to these lovely glossies for having us - we couldn't be prouder!

Friends of Pepper Alley:   We love to see our clients and friends wearing our designs - there is nothing more satisfying than being tagged in your outfit pictures and seeing you bring our Clemmies and Floras to life! Here's to more #OOTDs in 2018 and lots of new ways to style our signature items.

Behind the Scenes:  We love sharing our story and we are super proud of the origins of our brand. For this reason, we were thrilled to take you behind the scenes of our production process this year to show you how our iconic leather goods are made from start to finish - expect more #BTS content in the New Year, we can't wait! 

Clemmie dresses up for Christmas (and Winter!) - How could we end the year without a little twist on our iconic Clemmie? We started December with a few sneak peeks and finally revealed our Black / Red number. The perfect Winter Warmer which will keep us looking chic right up until Spring and beyond!

And that's a wrap! Well, actually, we couldn't finish this post without sharing our 2017 #bestnine could we? It seems like you guys love London, new launches and a spot of girl power and, guess what? So do we!

Thank you for your continued support in 2017 - we can't wait to see where 2018 takes us!

Love,

Pepper Alley HQ X  

The Art of Gift Giving

Here at Pepper Alley, we take shopping for presents very seriously. This season, we have been spreading the #pepperalleylove and sharing our top tips on the art of gift giving. Having (just about!) survived a few festive seasons ourselves, we thought we would share our insider advice on what makes gift giving a special occasion and something to truly celebrate. Whether you had all your presents sorted at the beginning of November or have hit the panic button on Christmas shopping, we are here to help and provide a little festive inspiration. Enjoy!

Presentation: The gift giving experience begins before the recipient has even opened the present. What does it look and feel like? Is it wrapped up in a large festive bow or does glitter add to the fun of the occasion? We are thrilled to say that our gift boxes are back for December 2017. Available in 3 sizes, they create the perfect setting for a Christmas of indulgence.

Personalisation: Every gift can be made more special through personalisation. Whether it's choosing the right style for the right occasion or simply selecting a simple style in the recipient's favourite colour, it's the attention to detail that ultimately makes a big difference. Our top tip? Monogramming the gift with the recipient's initial will make the experience more personal and ensure they always stand out when wearing the present out and about. Don't hesitate to ask about our personalisation options and make sure you order your personalised goodies before December 22nd to give our elves time to prepare it in time for Christmas!

Preparation: As we have said many times, organisation is the key to ensuring the gift giving experience is delivered effortlessly and without stress. Remember that the last date to ensure your gifts arrive in time for Christmas is 22nd December while personalised gifts must be ordered by 20th December.

Wishing you a magical Christmas!

Love, 

Pepper Alley HQ X

#spreadthepepperalleylove

The Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide

As part of our aim to spread the #pepperalleylove this Christmas, we thought we'd kick off this month of celebration by publishing our Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide. Think of it as our way of wishing you a happy, stress free festive season. Of course, gift giving is the perfect way of spreading the Pepper Alley love - what better feeling is there than finding the right present for the right person at the perfect time? Or finding a way to summarise a myriad of emotions into that one perfect gift?

Time to light some candles, grab a hot chocolate and indulge in the selfless art of gift giving. We have everyone, and we mean everyone, covered in our ultimate gift guide but if you have further suggestions (found yet another clever use for our leather products?! We're not surprised!) let us know and share your gift giving traditions with us.

Time to shop the perfect present for:

The Life and Soul of the Party: We haven't even described her and yet, you already have a person in mind. She is a cocktail of enthusiasm and high energy; always the first on the dance floor and the last to head home. This Christmas, she deserves a little pocket of shimmer to keep her possessions safe while she is throwing shapes on the dance floor. Shop the gift here.

The One Who Has Caught the Travel Bug: Australia, Thailand, Mexico....her Instagram is the envy of your entire friendship group and the postcards she insists on sending make you reconsider your office job on a basis which is far more regular than you'd like to admit. This girl may have a super jet set lifestyle yet you know that, deep down, this Christmas she would love nothing more than a little reminder of home to take with her on her many travels. Time to surprise her with a Clemmie tote - with its sturdy design and creamy Italian leather, it will give her the stability she needs to tackle her day wherever she may be.

The One Who Is Super Busy:  Her diary is full to the brim, she is forever hopping between meetings and yet manages to look completely effortless amidst a flurry of social occasions. The City is her backdrop and, just like the City, she never stops; this Christmas she needs something to effortlessly adapt to her lifestyle and follow her on her urban adventures.

The Man in Your Life: Whether it's a gift for the man you share your life with or a special treat for dad, there is no denying that finding the perfect present for the boys in your life isn't the easiest of tasks. Brothers, best friends, boyfriends...treat them to a Lou Tote this Christmas; perfect for work, travel and everything in between.

The Ladies in Your Family: Whether it's your mum, grandmother, auntie or simply the friend who feels like family, there is no denying that this lady could do with a special treat. Forever looking after others and always on hand to give the best advice, she deserves something that reminds her how special she truly is. How about a touch of personalisation?

The One Who...has it all figured out:  Growing up, she had everything sussed out all along and now she's an adult, you are super proud of her achievements and how far she has come. She may be hitting all the major milestones, like buying a house, and be snowed under a million of adult responsibilities but that doesn't mean she is giving up glamour just yet. This Christmas, make sure one of our signature monogrammed key rings makes its way into her handbag.

The One Who....has just had a baby: She has already received the best gift she could have ever asked for this year and there is no way you could ever top that. However, as her friend, it is your mission to rescue her from the baby toys and clothes under the tree. Surprise her with a metallic Flora clutch (and the number of a good babysitter!) to remind her of the nights out to come.

The Girl Squad:  They have been your trusty brunch squad and Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte to your Carrie for as long as you can remember. This year, it's time to surprise them over a champagne breakfast with a tote which embodies a single design in a variety of colours to perfectly complement your different personalities.

The Trend Setter:  She loves fashion and experimenting with different styles and textures. Denim is her passion and she can't wait to see what the fashion world has in store for 2018. It's time to introduce her to the most versatile of our clutches - perfect to soften the boldest of style choices.

The Little Sister: She is in awe of your every move and wants to be just like you. You are just more than happy to give her advice and steer her away from the fashion dilemmas that marked your adolescence.  A metallic Edie is the perfect gift to cement your 'cool big sister' status whilst also reminding her of the memories you share together when she is back at University or College.

Your Grandmother:   Every year, she insists that she doesn't want anything and every year, you choose to ignore that because you know that she truly deserves a thoughtful gift. Our new twist on the Clemmie reminds you of her timeless elegance and you know she would be thrilled to find it under the tree.

....You: In your mad dash of gift giving, Christmas tree buying and office drinks, don't forget to look after number one. Whether it's a sparkly clutch for your numerous festive nights out or a Clemmie tote to start the New Year on a stylish note, let us tempt you into our world of gorgeous, handmade goodies. Click here to enter the world of Pepper Alley.

Happy Shopping! 

Love,

Pepper Alley HQ X