Fashion Done Your Own Way

It’s nearly summer thank goodness (or at least that’s what I’m telling myself until the actual summer months). With the beautiful weather starting to reveal itself, thoughts of lounging around in the sun with a cocktail in hand are beginning to surface in my mind. If you have been a reader of mine for a while you will know that I am a rather huge fan of cocktails, particularly the nights out that involve a good old martini and that is exactly what I experienced last weekend at the ‘Tonight Josephine’ Bottomless Brunch in Birmingham. The need to spend time with your mates on a weekend has never been more prominent after the ongoing stresses of the past two years and bottomless brunch could not be a better place to do that. I, myself, had never been to Birmingham prior to my trip there last weekend and I was thoroughly impressed with how vibrant and exciting it was, both in the day and night. To complement the exciting prospect of summer, Tonight Josephine are launching another bar in Cardiff City Centre where brunching, singing, and dancing are at the forefront of the agenda. Whilst I usually stray more towards the fashion articles, I have decided to venture into the entertainment world to explore events and tell you where I think you should be heading on the weekends. Tonight Josephine in Cardiff has yet to open its doors to the public, however, I have had the wonderful chance to enjoy a night of Spice Girls mania in the bar in Birmingham.

Female empowerment is at the forefront of the branding at Tonight Josephine. Inspired by Josephine De Beauharnais, the bar is focused on strong, independent women who know exactly what they want and are determined to get there. Josephine was a powerful young woman who started with nothing and fought to become the Empress of the French, wooing Napoleon into a whirlwind romance that ended with her name being his last words. This is what Tonight Josephine embodies. Women making their way in the world with sass, class, and power. Walking into the bar, there is an immediate focus on the pink and glittery aesthetic that covers every inch of every surface. Neon is everywhere (my thirteen-yearold self may have passed out). They make you feel like a runway model going to an after-party at the Barbie mansion, which is a feeling that I’m sure many others felt upon arrival too. The pretty booths mean you can socialise with your own group as well as the others around you, which leads to amazing interactions with lots of different people. This set-up also helped me interact with the incredible entertainment.

Drag Queens are by the far the best entertainment at a Spice Girls themed bottomless brunch. It was a fabulous experience to dance and sing some of the biggest hits with the beautiful singers. With all the anxiety associated with going on nights out, particularly in regard to the spiking epidemic, it is refreshing to be in such a safe and comfortable environment in which everyone is having the best time of their lives. I must confess, I am not usually a self-proclaimed Spice Girls fan, nor do I know many of their songs apart from their top tunes (zig- a- zigahhh), however the singing and dance routines really got me up onto the dancefloor at every opportunity. Now, it wouldn’t be a bottomless brunch without the drinks of course. And it would be rude of me to not mention the

by Molly Dutton

pitchers. Whilst I usually prefer a slightly bigger selection of cocktails, the pitcher style options really suited the event; my Aperol spritz took me right back to holidays abroad before lockdown and the jugs of it kept the drinks flowing all night. Prosecco was given on arrival which was a lovely touch and really got the night off to a bubbly start (excuse the dad joke).

I think it’s only appropriate to have props when attending anything Spice Girls related, and goodness me they got this spot on! The wonderful team at ‘Tonight Josephine’ supplied lots of exciting things, one of my favourites were the masks with all of the band on them. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a dream to be Posh Spice for the night. On top of this, we played a game in which we had to name each Spice Girls song, including songs brought out by each of the girls in their solo careers. I failed miserably at this, but the RuPaul style dance-off between the two finalists made me forget my woes. One thing I’ve learnt about myself, mostly at university, is that I am unable to survive a night out without some food. This usually consists of a kebab from my local takeaway (if you’re ever in Leeds you must visit Rajas). As you probably expected, last weekend was much classier than a typical Leeds evening out. All of the bottomless brunch guests were provided with a menu featuring an array of options, all presented on a pretty pink menu. Since leaving my vegetarian years behind me (it’s Taco Bell’s fault), I had to go for the pulled pork bun and of course, some salted chips. Having attended a fair few brunches in my 19 years, the food at Tonight Josephine really knocked the others out of the park, especially since it was timed perfectly in the middle, a blessing for someone like myself who gets a little bit hangry.

The vibes all night were immaculate, and the staff could not have been more lovely. I love how they have created a safe space for everyone, inclusive of all individuals. The colours, the music and the people created an incredible atmosphere which I think we should all get involved with when ‘Tonight Josephine’ comes to Cardiff at the end of this month! Bring your girls, bring your partner, bring your mum, your nan, whomever you want because I guarantee they will have an amazing night.