Secure the bag

If you’re going to be melting in this unusually hot British weather, at least do it in style. From the start of Summer I had been looking for the perfect summer bag to take with me on holidays and about town, that was until I discovered the Argia bag from Collection & Co.

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My obsession with C&C has been slowly growing since I discovered them earlier this year, it’s becoming a problem, I literally want to buy everything they sell. The designs are so my style; easy, minimalist and just the right amount of glamour. 

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The Argia bag from Collection & Co caught my eye as soon as I stepped into the store. The cut-out frame, forming countless hexagons, made me think of a beehive and I was immediately drawn to it. As you may know from one of my previous blog posts, everything Collection & Co sell is vegan and cruelty-free, from their shoes and bags to the hand-poured soy candles. Vegan leather made from eco-friendly microfibres replace the traditional leather on all their bags, belts and shoes. It's great to walk in and know everything is available for you, free of suffering and harm to animals. 

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This bag is perfect for taking to the beach, as it's light and easy to carry. You can remove the inner bag, which is made from medium-weight calico, and wash it separately so you can get rid of any sand or whatever ends up in your bag. There is a drawstring closure on the inner bag, making it safe for walking around and putting down, knowing nothing is going to spill out. I've been using this bag on days where I don't need a lot with me, as the bag isn't able to hold too much weight. Keys, phone, vegan lip balm and probably a snack - what else do you need? Ok so not practical if you're going on a hike or something, but why would you go on a hike in this weather anyway, are you insane? 

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The outer frame is made from faux suede and has a reinforced handle with vegan leather grips. It's perfect to wear on one shoulder or carried by the handles at the top. I like bags like this that are easy to wear but make an impact, something a bit different. That's really what I look for in my accessories and clothes, bold but wearable. 

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Overall, I would definitely recommend this bag to anyone who wants an easy-to-wear statement bag for the summer. Do not buy this bag if you have a lot of baggage to carry around all day (#deep) 

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I styled the bag for this shoot with the Mediterranean in mind, resort style in the heat of summer. I threw a white cami top on with an old ASOS tie-waist skirt in a rusty orange colour. The skirt has a nice flowy back section and the tie waist adds a different element which makes me love this skirt, even though it's like five years old. If it ain't broke... I balanced out the flowy aspect of the skirt with a tight white cami - I always say with a two-piece outfit you need to balance out the tight and lose elements. I wore some plain black strappy sandals that were also ASOS from last year (before I started my slow fashion journey) as they are simple and work with outfits that have more detail to them. I am also on the hunt for a pair of vegan, eco-friendly sandals that I could take on an upcoming holiday with me - let me know if you have any suggestions!

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I finished the look off with my new very favourite pair of cat eye sunnies from Pap'd in the Pampelonne Tortoise style. These are super edgy and chic and remind me of all those glamorous actresses in the 1950's. Collection & Co's store in Bristol carry a range of sunglasses by Pap'd, so it's worth popping in and seeing what they have before the summer ends!

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It was nice to see this outfit come together so well and I'm going to bring these babies away with me on holiday in September - stay tuned :) xoxox