Welcome back to Zips It Up, a fortnight since you last saw me. I’ve been blissfully Balearic, on a family holiday in Ibiza and Mallorca. 

Obviously, not too much is occurring fashion-wise, because the world has still ground to a halt. Factories are closed, shops are only just re-opening with old stock and designers have been self-isolating. But there’s just enough independent fashion going on from the UK to Spain for me to tell you about.

Whilst on London’s Hampstead Heath amongst all the dog walkers, lazily browsing through my fashion mags, I discovered this piece about the latest accessory to come out of Italian label Bottega Veneta.

It would certainly fit in around these parts of London, as I see little black dog poo bags everywhere. And the new BV bag is almost identical.

Bottega Veneta describe the BV Twist as having a “soft sack shape with handle that looks casually knotted and slips around the wrist.” At £1,650!

Pets at Home sell 200 dog poo bags for £1.50. I’d start with that option to familiarise oneself with the ‘look’, and then make a decision.

Back in the Balearics, there’s one thing I hate during summer – mosquitos. They’re the quickest way to shove a beautiful outdoors evening straight indoors. Sometimes, no matter what kind of repellent you use, the little buggers still won’t leave you alone. That’s why we all need a pair of Coghlan’s Bug Pants (even if they do look rather stupid).

The full-length pants are made of ultra-fine mesh, protecting your skin from mozzies. They have an elasticized drawstring waist and cuffs, so they’ll prevent even the most devious bugs from sneaking in. The Bug Pants are lightweight and cool, meaning you’ll prefer putting these on in 90-degree weather to a pair of jeans or shorts.

You can order them on Amazon for around £10.  Whilst they do come in different sizes, they’re unisex and the elastic waist will accommodate all shapes. When driven insane in the extreme by mosquitoes, one tends to adopt extreme measures.

Anyway, enjoy this packed Balearic special of Zips It Up and catch you again next week.

So, as I write this, we have just been dealt a brutal blow. The UK government has advised against travel to the Balearics. Bang in the middle of what is already a crushed summer. When the Balearics have way less cases of Covid-19 per capita than the UK. Bonkers.

To be fair, we have experienced some decent summer 2020 temperatures here in the UK. Some of us have splashed out on a mega paddling pool for the garden. This may be about the closest some people may get to a  Mediterranean holiday this year. But for those of us who are used to wearing our bikinis on the beaches and pool sides of Ibiza, let’s bring Ibiza to Blighty.

Welcome to Ibiza Fest Wear

A collection of beautiful Ibiza swimwear designed by my friend Karen Seafield. You can discover all of your holiday essentials for what’s left of this season and for 2021 in one place. 

Ibiza Fest Wear is a brand born through the love of the Balearic island. The collection of swimwear and festival wear is inspired from the free spirit, music and colours we all know and love from the party island.

Their aim is to provide you with seriously sexy swimwear, fest wear and even cover the small details that make big statements via accessories. With their extensive outreach, contacts and collaborations in Ibiza, they have totally nailed the look for you.

Karen Seafield is a successful business woman who has over 25 years’ experience of owning a PR business. After discovering her love of Ibiza from working and partying on the island, her clothing brand was born. 

While shopping for Ibiza outfits, Karen was shopping all over the internet for clothes, swimwear and festival wear. As a result, she wanted to build a brand where all Ibiza clothing could be found in one place.

And here it is www.ibizafestwear.co.uk

Although two metre social distancing and mask wearing are both in full effect, it’s a blessing that we can now shop again, and there are some bargains to be had out there. Everything is on sale, to get rid of old stock.

Two labels epitomise Ibiza and Mallorca for me.

World Family Ibiza at Sluiz sums up “Balearic Boho” like no other brand

Maxi dresses, waistcoats, boots and bags with the boho hippy vibe will always be on trend on the White Isle. This family run business has literally dominated the island, with their homegrown look which can be found at Las Dalias Hippy market, their shop in Ibiza Town, online and at Sluiz. Here are a few items on sale which you should grab right now.

Over on big sister isle Mallorca, the huge Fashion Outlet Festival Park – home to super Spanish designer Adolfo Dominguez – has a sale on too. Although this label is much smarter than the Boho vibe of Ibiza, it still has flavours of Zara and Mango and feels so very Spanish. It’s particularly good for menswear. Plenty of stylish, cool linen shirts and simple cotton dresses are in stock, which will last you a lifetime. Here’s my pick of the best bargains right now.

Over in Ibiza, at legendary hotel Pikes, my friend (and owner) Dawn Hindle was rocking this fabulous customised biker jacket, made for her by independent designer Starlover, which is a bespoke wearable art and fashion brand, fused with a sprinkling of their ever-present ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll ethos. 

Created in the U.K, by artist/designer Donna Ganley and inspired by music, Bohemia and a commitment to individual style, Starlover offers the very best in stand-out fashion and wearable art. Perfect for the streets of London and Ibiza.

All garments are hand painted, one-off creations, designed to be worn, loved and kept forever. Check out their range of Starlover staples, vintage treasures, handmade pieces and statement tees that you’ll want to rock every day.

Starlover’s aim is not to offer ‘fast fashion’ but to create, source and inspire an eclectic mix of carefully chosen, designed and curated products.

If you would like to commission a bespoke, hand-painted jacket, you can get in touch with Donna to discuss any ideas you may have. Costs vary, depending on detail and the time the piece would take to create.

Starlover’s leather jackets (which are sold on the site) are the perfect canvas for painting, along with their style and quality. They can also source you vintage, if that is what you have in mind.

You can email donna@starlover.co.uk… possibilities are endless, check out their Instagram to see some of their past creations.

www.starlover.co.uk

Another independent designer, straight outta the White Isle, is the unique Zoom Cherry Ibiza Art Fashion.

“An exclusive brand for exclusive people”.

A collection of incredible customised jackets with a hip-hop street vibe for the cobbled streets of the Balearics – during winter, obviously. 

Born and raised in Belgium, Zoom Cherry moved to  Ibiza, where her creativity started to fly and she hasn’t looked back since. One of her fans is the legendary NYC designer Patricia Field who has been selling the Zoom Cherry collection in the Big Apple. 

Here’s a little taste of her work. Check out ‘The Will Smith’ jacket – my fave.

www.zoomcherryibiza.com

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Welcome to July.

I simply can’t believe we’re into the second half of 2020 already.

What a strange year so far. But as I write this, I am planning on relocating to the Balearics next week – if UK government rules allow – and I will hopefully be poolside for the next few instalments of Amanda Zips It Up.

Not only can we imminently travel without quarantine to Spain, we can also have a glass of wine in the pub (three cheers), eat INSIDE Wagamama (six cheers) and finally get our roots done at the hairdressers (infinite cheers).

I’ve been quite enjoying not bleaching my hair for a while. It’s had a well-deserved break. But instead of opting for the usual hats to combat the dark roots, here’s a new trend for girls with long locks crying out for a current and interesting look.

Last year, it was all about layers and layers of rings and necklaces, But, in 2020 the humble – or not-so-humble – HAIR CLIP is taking over fashion land.

You might have noticed that ‘barrettes’ are everywhere in the shops at the moment. From pearl-embellished examples to more subtle slides – the trend has gone maximalist. Influencers, bloggers and even the occasional celebrity have started pinning multiple hair clips into their tresses.

The hair clip trend found its roots on the catwalks at recent Fashion Week shows – models wore their hair stacked up with diamond slogan clips. Some combined them, to spell out phrases including ‘Gucci’ and ‘happy’ and  ‘sad’.

I’m loving diamonds, pearls and of course stars. So, if you want to stand out from the ‘post lockdown crowd’ this summer in the newly opened pubs and restaurants, get down to your local H&M, where I found the best selection of hair clips.

Onto this week’s summer session, and we discover how to combat BRA SWEAT, tell you about the KILLING EVE must-have dress of 2020 and investigate which mega rap star is the new face of GAP?

Kanye West has signed a 10-year clothing deal with (the often rather boring) high street shop Gap. At last – a reason to shop there.

The line will see the rapper and designer create “modern, elevated basics for men, women and kids at accessible price points.”

KW tweeted about the collaboration, using the hashtag #WESTDAYEVER and sharing an image of a model in a red jacket, tan trousers and an electric blue hoodie – a possible hint at the shape and look of the line.

After West’s tweet, it was revealed that Nigerian-British Designer Mowalola Ogunlesi had been chosen by the American mogul as Design Director of Yeezy Gap. This is major news for the emerging designer who has been on the rise since launching her eponymous label in 2017.

The news will delight fans of West’s minimalist designs. He already has a premium Yeezy fashion line, while his Adidas YEEZY trainers retail for up to £400 and regularly sell out online.

The deal is expected to give the ailing high street brand a major boost, with Gap hoping that the collection will generate millions in sales over the next 5 years.

The Gap share priced jumped by over 30% in response to the news.

I HAVE JUST BOUGHT THIS DRESS!

When I saw it in the window at my local H&M, the first thing I thought was… KILLING EVE.

Yes, H&M is selling this bell sleeved pink prairie dress, which looks exactly like Killing Eve star Villanelle’s iconic outfit. And it costs just £19.99

Puff-sleeved cotton dress, £19.99, H&M  

The pink tulle gown, worn by Jodie Comer in the hit show, was created by Molly Goddard and costs £408.

H&M’s version is a steal by comparison, setting one back £19.99, and it’s already selling out. Let me warn you – this dress is huge so please buy at least one size down – if not two.

As you know, there are no changing room facilities anywhere at the moment and you won’t find size “small” in the shops. The candy coloured dress is currently only available in a size large.  If you want medium, small or extra small – buy online.

My daughter laughed at me when she saw me wearing the dress, but it’s very Gucci and yes, you need to be brave to wear the maxi version. If you lack sufficient bravery, then it comes in a shorter length – to the knee.

The dress also comes in black, but if you’re a Killing Eve fan, then it just has to be pink.

Top marks to H&M for this very reasonable must-have. Which is just what we all need right now.

It’s a problem that women suffer with – probably to the surprise of most men – sweating underneath our bras in summer heat.

Whilst sunny days and balmy nights are adored by many of us, the scorching weather also leads to extremely sweaty, and rather unpleasant, boobs.

Women are raving about a £10 bra liner that stops one’s boobs from sweating. The liners sit underneath your bra and soak up the sweat.

Racking up hundreds of gushing reviews on Amazon they are designed to absorb unwanted – yet inevitable – sweat, stopping it from trickling down your torso.

Easylife’s white cotton liners come in one size but can fit up to a size 24, being worn under the bra to absorb sweat that builds up in the cleavage, under-boob and around the back. And don’t worry, as it can’t be seen through clothes, so you can get away with wearing it all the time. No wonder women are hailing them as a “game changer”. They also wrap around the back straps.

The liners cost £10.49, and the cotton material means they’re reusable, washable and completely breathable.

They also help prevent the bra underwire from irritating you – another common issue among women. I tried them under an uncomfortable wired lace bra. It worked a treat – no more lack of comfort!

So, whether you’re at home waiting out the hot weather, or heading on out to enjoy the sunshine, you can now rest easy knowing you’ll be sweat free.

Welcome to the end of June, and to the end of a certain amount of lockdown.

We’ve (well definitely, I’ve) been waiting for bars and restaurants to open since the day they closed, but what else has bumbling Boris allowed to re-open? On the UK’s very own ‘INDEPENDENCE DAY’, I thought you might find it useful to have everything listed in one place. 

Yes, the following businesses are able to open again from July 4, as long as they are Covid-19 secure. These include:

• Hotels, hostels bed and breakfast accommodation, holiday apartments or homes, cottages or bungalows, campsites, caravan parks or boarding houses
• Places of Worship
• Libraries
• Community Centres
• Restaurants, Cafes and Workplace Canteens
• Bars
• Pubs
• Cinemas
• Bingo Halls
• Theatres and concert halls, but no live music
• Museums and galleries
• Hair salons and barbers
• Outdoor playgrounds
• Outdoor gyms
• Funfairs,  theme parks and adventure parks and activities
• Amusement arcades
• Outdoor skating rinks
• Other indoor leisure centres or facilities, including indoor games, recreation and entertainment venues
• Social Clubs
• Model villages
• Indoor attractions at aquariums, zoos, safari parks, farms, wildlife centres and any place where animals are exhibited to the public as an attraction.

What businesses must remain closed?

The PM said that some businesses must remain shut “for now”. These include the following:

• Nightclubs
• Casinos
• Bowling alleys and indoor skating rinks
• Indoor play areas including soft-play
• Spas
• Nail bars and beauty salons
• Massage, tattoo and piercing parlours
• Indoor fitness and dance studios, and indoor gyms and sports venues/facilities
• Swimming pools and water parks
• Exhibition or Conference Centres – where they are to be used for exhibitions or conferences, other than for those who work for that venue.

We’re yet to find out about travel restrictions, but I have a feeling we could be Balearic bound before you can say the word “passport”.

In this issue, we discover the best swimwear for all shapes and sizes, fabulous summer cocktails delivered to your home and the must-have summer shorts you girls should all be wearing in 2020.