Brat & Suzie Flash Sale

Quick As A Flash!

For many of us, the 28^th November will pass by simply as one of the many Thursdays that we have had this year – not quite the end of the week, but with Friday night finally in sight. However, for those ‘across the pond’ in the United States, this date will mark Thanksgiving.

Now, it’s unlikely that we’re going to emulate those in America by gathering our family and friends for a huge celebratory meal (we’d rather just wait for Sunday roast,) but for the first time ever we will be embracing the notion of Black Friday here at Brat and Suzie. Held the day following Thanksgiving, this is one Friday a year when people are more occupied with how to spend their hard earned cash than with plans for going out that night, as retailers offer exceptional discounts and promotions in order to announce the start of the Christmas shopping season in style.

So here’s the good news… Our flash sale is beginning this Friday and running for the entire weekend. When you head to our website, you will find that each garment (excluding those already on sale, because they’re a bargain as it is) will be half price!

If you’re looking for gifts for family and friends, or just eyeing up a few presents for yourself, then this is the perfect opportunity to save some money. Whether you decide on something like the cosy badger cardigan, one of our animal print tees, or our brand new parka jacket, you can enjoy 50% off the original price on as many garments as you can fill your shopping bag with.

Be ready to keep a close eye on our Facebook and Twitter pages, as we will let you know the second the sale begins so that you can shop our animal inspired creations until your heart’s content. Make sure that you share news of the half price discount with other Brat and Suzie lovers, because it will be over in a flash.

Happy shopping!

Written by Sophie Seymour.    

"My Fashion Future"

Below is one of the features that I wrote for the latest issue of Semple magazine.

I really enjoyed writing this piece as it gave me the chance to reflect on my fashion choices of the past, which at times had a tendency to be a little questionable.

 As the theme of the magazine was 'the future' it was fun to refer back to my teenage years in order to make a comparison with how I dress now and allowed me to add a dash of humour in there too.

Click the text to enlarge the image so that you can read without straining your eyes.

I hope that the piece is as enjoyable to read as it was to create and please be sure to read Semple magazine in its entirety afterwards as there is some fantastic content in there that I am pleased to have my work alongside.     

Semple Magazine

The latest issue of Semple magazine is now available online!

Two articles of mine are included so be sure to take a look:
 
http://www.maggiesemple.com/MSL_Magazine.html

Here are a couple of cheeky screenshots of my features.  The first explores the future of small fashion businesses and contains wonderful words of wisdom from three companies I love: Brat and Suzie, Miss Crofton and Olivia Burton. The second piece was so much fun to write, as it reflects on my past fashion faux pas with hope for improvements in the years to come.  

Keeping Cosy

 

Fair Isle knits are one of the best things about winter fashion. Originally created nearly a hundred years ago on a small island off the coast of Scotland, the patterns are now something of a wardrobe staple throughout the colder months. Often featuring motifs such as snowflakes, reindeer, and stars, the knits are naturally synonymous with the build up to Christmas. The popularity of festive patterns on clothing and accessories over recent years has ensured that this is a seasonal trend that can be revisited time and time again.

This season at Brat and Suzie, we incorporated Fair Isle inspired patterns in a selection of illustrations used on our cosy sweaters, to bring you a fusion of classic knitwear prints with some adorable winter animals (as is our speciality) without any of the need for hand washing or de-bobbling! Each costing only £35, the sweaters will prove invaluable throughout the colder months as they not only keep you toasty, but can be worn in so many ways that you never need to compromise style for being nice and snug.

The first sweater features a sweet seal pup donning fuzzy earmuffs and a magenta Fair Isle onesie and is printed on a pink marl background. Next, putting on a few extra pounds to stay warm is the fat owl, with a Christmassy pattern proudly displayed across his chest. This beautiful bird perches on a light grey sweater and will go with any colour scheme you choose. Last, but not least, is the prepared panda who is sporting an amazing matching mint Fair Isle beanie bobble hat and scarf. Standing out against a snowy white sweater, he is ready for our British weather.

Though it is hard to pick which wonderful winter creature will sit best amongst existing pieces in your wardrobe, we think that they all look their best when paired with contrasting collars or statement necklaces, as seen in our look book. We’re sure that you’ll love these statement sweaters as much as we do, and after all, select any glossy fashion magazine and you’re sure to read how the new take on the humble jumper this season is now the ‘it’ item to buy – what better excuse do you need?              

Written by Sophie Seymour.

Tumblr Inspiration

Here are just a handful of my favourite images that I have reblogged on Tumblr this week:

     

    

Click to visit my page. 

Always a bookworm...

This year, in hopes that it would encourage me to read more, I have been writing down each and every novel that I finish.  So far my count sadly remains under thirty, but I have a little while still to go and if I stop choosing such elaborately long fiction, I might make it to a respectable fifty.  

I have always thought that one of the best, and the worst, things about reading fiction is the surprise of finding a piece of literature that completely grips you and proves itself to be worth recommending.  The downside of this, is how few and far between these gems often prove to be.

Having recently struck lucky in my local library, I thought I would share this one with you all, as I know only too well, the struggle of finding something good to read.  In my opinion, too many trashy 'chick-lit' novels are published and flood our bookstore shelves like a plague, leaving such a small gap for the works of writers with genuine value, but I digress.

 "One Night in Winter' by Simon Sebag Montefiore appealed to me, as I have harboured an interest in Russian history since my endless years at senior school.  Add to that a dash of crime, the possibility of murder and some unexpected twists and I'm completely sold.  Written stylishly, with the confidence of an author who knows his subject inside out, the novel has a fast paced and addictive plot, which I found myself struggling to tear myself away from.  So as not to spoil the intriguing series of events that leave you rushing to turn the next page, I will end here, simply imploring you to get your hands on a copy as soon as humanly possible.  (Buy on Amazon here.)

Enjoy!

Drawing Dogs: An Illustrator Interview

 

Here at Brat and Suzie, we absolutely love finding new illustrators to bring to life some of the ideas that we have for our ever-expanding selection of animal inspired garments. When Charlotte was introduced to Ria Edmenson last New Year’s Eve through a mutual friend, they discovered a shared love of animal illustration. Adorable dog pictures were discussed, sketches were made, and now Ria’s work forms part of the current Brat and Suzie collection. We spoke to our latest recruit to find out more.

Having graduated this year with a degree in illustration from the College of Art in Edinburgh, Ria’s love for creating animal based artwork is already proving a success.  Despite one of her dreams being gaining a career in television, telling us: “I would love to work in film or TV – my dream job would be a TV presenter,” it seems that the world of illustration is a perfect match.  One of her designs for Brat and Suzie is already currently available to buy online at Asos - just look out for the adorable grumpy pup sitting in a swing and donning a blue polka dot party hat.  Make sure that you also keep an eye out for another of her creations in our soon-to-be available Autumn/Winter collection; a design featuring a French bulldog with a cupcake on his head and an “It’s my party!” caption was made possible by the artistic talents of this creative graduate. 

Delightful dogs such as those already mentioned occupy plenty of Ria’s work.  “My favourite things to draw are definitely dogs. I love everything about them – they have always fascinated me and have such in depth characters. They love you regardless, and are such beautiful creatures. They are so much fun to draw,” she says.  Her favourite breed is the bold Bassett Hound, and though she already owns two Beagles named Barney and Rosie, she has her hopes set on adding another puppy to her collection of furry friends.

It was Ria’s two Beagles that formed the name of her budding illustration company “Barney and Rosie’s” (www.barneyandrosies.co.uk). Selling the likes of t-shirts, greetings cards, postcards, cushion covers, and limited artwork prints, fans of Brat and Suzie should most definitely take a look at her solo work.  Despite running a busy company of her own, Ria was excited to work with us, explaining that: “I love that Brat and Suzie use animals on all of their clothing and it can be styled with literally anything! Plus the girls are very good to work with.”  To produce the images featured within the Brat and Suzie range, the illustrator used fine liner and watercolour (when needed) to create the designs, before simply scanning the artwork in, and editing them on Photoshop.  She makes it sound easy!        

When asked about her personal sense of style, Ria describes her fashion choices as being “a little bit vintage, a little bit Edinburgh… it ranges from Doc Marten’s with long dresses and woolly jumpers to cropped high waisted jeans, Converse and little crop tops - depending on the weather and my mood!” Whereas she details her signature methods of illustration as being “very linear; colour is used sparingly because the image is so detailed. I like to use different patterns and swirls and lines to create the different tones and textures of the dog (or animal) to match the character of her/him.”

Referencing Vic Lee and Jon Tremaine as inspiration, alongside film favourite Tim Burton, Ria tends to create her artwork whilst listening to a mixture of film scores, XFM podcasts, 80s power ballads, and a dash of Laura Marling or Dave Matthews Band.  “These are the things that help me create my pups,” she explains.  A couple of pups in particular that the illustrator has produced are firm favourites – she tells me “My favourite work would have to be my latest Christmas collection. I have drawn a Pug with a little bow on its head, as well as a happy smiling black Labrador kitted out in a Santa hat and coat… I absolutely love Christmas.

With her favourite season just around the corner and her contribution to the new Brat and Suzie collection soon to be released, now is a very exciting time for Ria Edmenson.  Make sure you follow her various social media pages to keep updated on her latest work, as more delightful dogs and incredible illustrations are on their way.

Facebook: facebook.com/BarneyandRosies
Twitter: @BarneyandRosies
Tumblr: barneyandrosies.tumblr.com
Instagram: @madteapartay
Website: www.barneyandrosies.co.uk

 
Written by Sophie Seymour.