Viva la Papillon!

Life Update

2012-12-31T13:51:00.002Z

So I haven't posted in a long while, and whilst that sucks, I have been so beyond busy over this Christmas! The obvious is Christmas itself: spending time with the family and the extended family in Oxford. However I have also been especially busy travelling across England for some friends' 21st birthdays! First in London for a mad 24 hours before Christmas, and then in Cheshire on the 27th for a few days. Cheshire took me 8 hours to drive up to because of the crazy post-Chrimbo traffic, but thankfully only 4 hours to get back! Then I have had essays due, revision to do and last night had to take a few hours to FINALLY watch The Hobbit in 3d :D Anyways, by the end of the day I hope to have my 'Top Ten' of 2012 post up, and tomorrow I will post what I wore to New Year's. For the meantime here a few photo updates from the past month or so!

Hot Pink Lips

2012-12-13T16:55:00.000Z

So as I mentioned in a previous post, I have never been a fan of the pink lip on myself, as I thought it didn't suit me and shrank my lips massively! But then I purchased this Model's Own Lipstick in Deep Fuchsia and really fell in love with the hot pink look!

The formula is uber pigmented and super creamy, and applies really easily. I think the colour is really flattering, for a pink lipstick, and is slightly blue toned which allegedly makes your teeth look whiter, but for me I think it just looks more dramatic with my pale skin more than a yellow based or peach toned pink would.

These photos are before I went to a friend's birthday pre-drinks, and I had quite a neutral base and eye makeup (just a little contouring and brown-grey eyeliner) as I felt that whilst I think this lip colour is great for parties, I don't want to look too Barbie-doll and look overly done up! Especially as I couldn't make it out after the pre-drinks as I have yet another essay deadline coming up :(

Anyway, I am definitely a lipstick girl, and always love it when I find a lipstick that works well for me, and I can create looks with! I have yet to wear this during the day, but that is just out of pure laziness! I think it will definitely work well with an even more neutral day time look: a pale blusher instead of contouring, no eyeliner and a lighter layer of brown-black mascara! I also love this brand of lipstick, and there are soo many other colours I want to try! I think the next one I will buy will be either Hyper-Brite Orangeade, Pinky Red, or Red Wine. :D

The Hyper-Brite Pink Hawaiian also looks like such an amazing colour, I am just not sure it would suit me ahaha :D Are you a fan of pink lips? Or are you more of a neutral or red lip fan?

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bareMinerals 'Prime Time' Foundation Primer: Review

2012-12-11T20:41:00.000Z

This is the first primer I have ever used, but it has definitely converted me to the world of primers! I bought this from feelunique.com because the winter weather has made my skin very hard to work with when it comes to foundation, as it is very dry and blotchy. I have heard good things about bareMinerals, and have also read somewhere that some of their products are actually actively good for your skin. So I purchased!

Initially I was disappointed mainly because I think I was thinking it would be a miracle product and could be whacked on under foundation and my face would be perfect. What actually happened was I first used too much and didn't prep my skin with moisturizer and whilst my foundation did apply easier, it didn't leave my skin with a perfect and flawless finish.

However, when I applied it directly after moisturizing, and only using one pump, I fell in love. My foundation slid on and went further, I had no dryness appearing all day long, and my face stayed put a lot longer than usual! It even passed the 'night out' test, and was fine despite being in a hot club for 5 hours!

All in all I love this primer, but do have to try others out before I can really say that it is great in comparison to others! What is your favourite primer? Do you think they all do the same thing, or are even worth it? I have definitely found that when I am wearing this primer my makeup looks a lot better, and more 'done': if that makes any sense!

Thank you for reading :D

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I Love Lush!

2012-12-07T02:44:00.001Z

So I have never been into Lush, as I used to think the smell of the shop was overpowering and the products confusing. However, recently I became intrigued again, and ventured in. By some miracle my opinion of the shop was completely different! The smell was delicious, the products exciting and the staff lovely. On my first outing I bought Honey Trap Lip Balm which I mentioned in this haul post. I adore it, and don't know how I lived without it. And so I decided I needed more Lush in my life!

I recently had a 3000 word essay due for uni, and the only thing that kept me going was the thought of an epic bath and pamper sesh at the end of the long essay tunnel. I dreamt of bath bombs and face masks :P On the day I finally handed it in, I headed into town with Hailey and we went to Lush where I picked up the Oatifix face mask and the Enchanter Bath Ballistic. May I just add that the customer service is impeccable Uber friendly and helpful!

Oatifix: This looks like porridge and smells of oats with an after-smell of honey and vanilla! It is full of natural oils and is good for dry skin. It feels a bit weird to put on your face at first because it feels just like you are smearing food on your face, but I must admit that it felt gorgeous on my face, and afterwards my face was soo so smooth! A few days later, and it still feels luxurious! This tub is apparently enough for 2 uses, but I think I could get 3 or 4 from it, as I only used a little bit. I would definitely recommend this if you have dry skin, because it really does soften and smooooth! :D

The Enchanter: This bath bomb smells fantastic, but I can't for the life of me work out what the scent is! It was a Halloween exclusive, but they have decided to continue it. It turns the bath a deep orange colour, but when it is fizzing the fuchsia core mixes pink through it. A very nice bath bomb!

What do you think of Lush? I am definitely converted, and want to try more of their skincare range as I am very impressed with the facemask!

Make-up Inspired by Cara Delevingne

2012-12-01T19:44:00.000Z

Model of the moment Cara Delevingne has had an awesome career so far, most recently being in the Victoria's Secret runway show as a Victoria's Angel, and just the other night winning Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards. This girl has strong eyebrows, sharp cheekbones, and an awesome style. So I thought I would pay homage to the girl with the striking eyebrow/cheekbone combo, mess around with some contouring and enhanced eyebrows, and show you a Cara Delevingne inspired make-up look!

Base

Cara has flawless skin, with slight peach/ tan colouring. I have freckles and pink tones to my skin, so this for the base I aimed to completely cover my freckles and warm my complexion with bronzers. Furthermore I don't have defined cheekbones, whereas Cara is of course extremely 'chiseled' ahaha, this is where an attempt at contouring was made!

- Apply a primer all over your face

- Using a spounge, apply foundation all over paying extra attention to any blemishes: I put extra layers over my freckles!

- Dust a light dusting of bronzer over your whole face using a large brush, with extra emphasis on your cheeks

- Using a blusher/ powder brush & a darker bronzer, suck in your cheeks and brush into the hollows of your cheeks, using a heavily packed brush

- Blend this bronzer into face with your fingertips

Brows

Cara's most defining and famous features is her eyebrows! The aim here is to accentuate and extend your own eyebrows, in a 'these are full and big naturally' way! I tried hard to avoid a scouse brow, and followed the natural arch of my brows, but curved them in an oval rather than making them pointy or sharp.

- Brush your natural brows up and out using a brow brush

- Using hard angle brush dipped into a dark brown eyeshadow, brush into your eyebrows in upwards motions: fill in any areas not as full as Cara's

- Dust over a black eyeshadow using same brush for extra definition - this should be very subtle, do NOT over do it!

Eyes

In this picture her eyes are smoldering and kinda grungy, and I tried to emulate that by using a lot of grey tones and eye liner to define.

- Dab concealer over the whole lid to act as a base

- Using a shadow liner brush work a dark grey cream eyeshadow across the eyelid from the crease of the eye round - leave a little of the eyelid next to the lash-line clear.

- Slightly wing at the outer corners

- Using the 'nib' of this brush, line under the eye, working quite far beneath the lower lash-line

- Use a fluff shadow brush & a dark grey powder shadow and dust over the lid, blending with your fingers

- Apply extra in the outer corners of eyes

- Using a black gel liner, line the top lash line with a thin line

- Also line the waterline, and into the inner corners of the eye

- Apply mascara, defining all lashes including the lower ones!

- Dab a pale pink highlighter in the inner corners of your eyes

Lips

My lips are a lot smaller and 'pouty' than Cara's, so my aim was to elongate them. I also noticed that her lips look quite natural and bare here, so I am using pink tones and a lip stain as opposed to lipstick to keep my lips looking a natural as possible!

- Using a neutral-pink lip liner line your lips slightly longer than your own lips, and fill in

-Use a pale pink lip stain to finish off the look!

The Products I Used:

bareMinerals: Prime Time
Rimmel London: Wake Me Up foundation, 100 Ivory
Benefit: High Beam // Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner, birthday suit
17: Instant Glow, Light Bronze // Wild Curls Mascara, Black
Maybelline New York: Dream Terra Sun, 01 Light Bronze // Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Liner, 01 Black // Color Sensational Lipstain, 150 Tener Rose
Collection 2000: Lasting Perfection Concealer, Fair 1
Bourjois: Levres Contour, 19 Sienna Kiss
*not pictured*
Urban Decay: Twice Baked // Oil Slick
Benefit: Deep Charcoal

The Brushes I Used:

H&M: Large Brush
Benefit: Shadow Liner // Powder (blusher) // Heard Angle // Fluff Shadow
Maybelline: Gel Liner brush
Rimmel: Brow Brush

So there you have it! I hope you enjoyed reading, and have fun if you give it a go yourself! Do you like Cara's look? I personally think she is soo interesting looking, in a very beautiful and natural way! I also love her style, I may do a post in the future about that :D

LOTS OF LOVE XXX

Mini Make-up Haul

2012-11-27T15:47:00.000Z

Over the past few weeks I have accumulated a few new pieces of make-up that I thought I would share with you lovely lot! I personally go through phases where all my disposable money goes on either clothes, hair products or makeup, and I think I am hurtling into a makeup phase right about now! This all started when I was looking at my Boots Advantage points and realized I had enough to buy not one, but TWO lipsticks which were also on offer! I could NOT ignore this sign from a higher being, and thus this mini make-up haul began!

So first up I bought these two lipsticks from Boots.com using my Advantage points! There was a buy one get one half price deal on (which I think is still on!) and so together they came to around £8.50.

Model's Own lipstick in Deep Fuchsia: This is a very clean Barbie pink lipstick, with a very creamy formula. I was hoping it would have more blue undertones, but I still really love this lipstick! I don't really wear pink lipsticks as I feel they shrink my lips, but this I think suits me! Application wise, it is highly pigmented and applies really smoothly. It also lasts a very long time as long as you don't eat or drink! ahaha. Overall I love this brand, and would definitely pick up more of their lipsticks, and I also do like the colour a lot, despite it being a little bit more Barbie than I wanted!

Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in 26: This is an apricot- peach nude, with a fairly high level of pigmentation. I really like the idea of rocking the nude lip with either a strong eye or with delicate, natural and soft daytime look, and this is a nice addition to my small nude lipstick collection. I chose this colour because of it's orange-y undertones, which I thought might warm up my complexion. I am not 100% sure of how well this suits me when I am not wearing foundation/ bronzer/ blusher, and I haven't yet tried it on a night out. I also think I need to try it using a lip liner as my lips are quite rosy and this lipstick isn't strong enough to completely cover this! All in all though I like the finish and formula, and am hoping I will work out a way to make the colour work with my face!

Next up in my mini haul is this nail varnish! I wanted a neutral-grey colour, originally eyeing up Essie, for a sophisticated-ish look. But the Essie counter was quite sparse and I didn't really know what sort of neutral colour I wanted, so instead of jumping in at the deep end, and forking out £7 ish on a colour I wasn't sure about, I opted for the trusty Rimmel stand!

Rimmel London 60 Seconds Nail Varnish in 500 Caramel Cupcake: Ok, so this is slightly browner than the nail varnish I was searching for, but nonetheless I really am a fan of the colour! It is slightly darker than my skin tone, which is mostly what I wanted, and the brown-ness elongates my fingers. Overall a very classy finish I think! I am also a longtime fan of this particular type of nail varnish, because the square applicator makes it very hard to mess up, it really does dry in 60 seconds, and with 2 coats the finish is opaque and my nails feel strong! An all round good product, that I would thoroughly recommend!

So when I went shopping with my friend Hailey to try and find her a birthday dress, I stumbled upon this in Topshop. I tested it out on my hand there and then and fell in love. As you do. However, Hailey is very good at keeping me on track shopping wise, and therefore I didn't buy it. Fast forward one week until the day before her birthday, and still in love, I couldn't resist! So I bought it to wear on her birthday, and I have no regrets, we are still very much in love ;)

Louise Gray for Topshop Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Intensify: A deep electric navy-blue liquid eyeliner with a hint of shine. The Louise Gray for Topshop line has been out for a while, and whilst all the products look very exciting, I didn't really think the colours were very wearable. This however, in my opinion, is. This eyeliner is very easy to apply and lasts FOREVER! It is actually quite hard to remove, but I like that as any creation you make lasts all night long, even in the hottest of clubs. The packaging is also lovely! So unique and pretty! I would definitely recommend this eyeliner, as it is a pretty and dramatic colour, and it is outstanding quality :)

So these last two purchases were bought from necessity - I promise! My lip balm is pretty much gone, and the last of my bronzer smashed the other day. #sadtimes. Feeling adventurous, I decided not to stick to the same products as before and venture into the unknown realms of Lush and Maybelline.

Lush Lip Balm in Honey Trap: mmmmmm. I think this is my favourite thing I have bought, ever. It tastes fantastic. It smells delicious. And it moisturizes your lips for a really long time! It says it is a "white chocolate balm for vanilla-honey kisses". I am not sure I can taste/ smell the white chocolate, but the scent and flavour of honey is outstanding and there are definite vanilla hints, which is my current favourite thing! On your lips it feels smooth and soft with the subtlest tingle. Mmmm. Yummy. It was slightly on the pricey side though, and the tub is very small. You do only need to use a tiny amount, though, but with my constant desire for it as it is sooo good, I worry I will use it all up soon!! :P

Maybelline Dream Terra Sun Bronzing Powder in 01 Light Bronze: Out of all the products I have bought in this haul, this is the one I am least excited by. I picked it up mainly because it is mid-priced and by a respected brand that I haven't used before, and the colour is very light, which I thought would be perfect for warming up my pale skin slightly. However it isn't very pigmented at all! It is extraordinarily light, which may mean I will be able to build it up nicely, avoiding an orange overload, but as of yet I am not convinced. To be fair, I haven't tried it on a properly made-up face yet, and maybe it will work better on a foundation base. However, at the moment, I wish I had stuck with my 17 bronzer!

So there you have it! I hope you enjoyed this post :D Be sure to comment, follow and like on facebook! :D byeee xxx

ISWAI by Caggie Dunlop

2012-11-24T14:08:00.001Z

So I have been aware that Caggie (of Made in Chelsea fame) has been developing a clothing line for a while, as I follow her on twitter and she has been tweeting about it. However, despite my interest, have never looked into the actual brand: until today! I read an article about it and really liked the look of it! I wanted to write that I was pleasantly surprised (she is after all a reality TV star), however I wasn't because I always loved her style and when she was on the show she seemed really genuine and, dare I say it, cool!

Caggie described her style as "dishevelled chic, but mostly dishevelled", which is, in my opinion, a near-perfect way of describing both her style and her collection with ISWAI. I also personally love that idea, of being dishevlled chic, and may try to emulate that more in the future ;)

The collection ranges from £19.99 to £120, so is fairly pricey, but the designs are quirky, cool and wearable and match up to labels such as Tee and Cake, Your Eyes Lie or Illustrated People, which run at similar prices. The jewelry also has a very Rock N Rose feel to it, which is one of my favourite jewelry brands! Anyway, here are my favourite pieces, enjoy:

1). Da Vinci // 2). Rebellion // 3). Envelope Bag Coral/ Dark Rose // 4). Chain Ring // 5). ISWAI Logo Vest // 6). Amethyst Necklace with Bail - Gold // 7). Agate Necklace - Silver // 8). Agate Necklace with Bail - Gold // 9). Cross Layered Necklace

Which is your favourite piece? Out of all of these I think my fave is the envelope bag! I am a sucker for them, and I think the handwritten quote is really cute! How do you think Caggie's collection fares against brands like Rock N' Rose and Your Eyes Lie? Personally I think ISWAI has a lot of potential, and I would love to get my hands on some of these items and test them out :P #Christmas hahaha.

Check out the whole collection at ISWAI.co.uk.

All images from iswai.co.uk

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Day-After Outfit

2012-11-21T23:52:00.000Z

Yesterday was my beautiful friend Hailey's birthday and so we had a pre-drinks at our house and then went out all dressed up and happppy! It was a lovely day and a great night :D Anyway, this morning my hair was still in shape from when another friend did it for me the previous night! Success! So, in light of me loving my hair (hahahahaha) I decided to show you my outfit for the day!

What I wore:

'Geek' T-shirt from a bargain shop called Shout

Black velvet skirt from River Island

Black faux leather belt from River Island

Black Creepers from New Look

Vintage giraffe ring

Gold leaf bracelet from Accessorize

Makeup:

Louis Gray for Topshop liquid eyeliner in Intensify

Rimmel London Sexy Curves mascara in Brown-Black

Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in 26

Maxfactor Nailfinity in Red Passion

Thanks for reading, I am going to have some well earned rest now and hopefully will post again at the weekend! :D xxx

Beauty Review: L'Oréal Studio Matt & Messy Salt Spray

2012-11-18T18:16:00.000Z

Have you seen the adverts for L'Oréal Paris' Matt & Messy range? It's a really well put together ad campaign, and the girl's hair in it is beautiful! Anyway, so I wanted to try this product out having seen the adverts for a long time, and finally, when I was home for my reading week, I went to Sainsburys and picked up a bottle for around £3- £4, I can't quite remember exactly!

The aim of this Salt Spray is to "Get tousled, textured hair for a sexy beach look". You can spray it on dry hair or after washing, and the way you scrunch it into your hair (or twist sections) will determine how 'tousled' the effect is.

I personally like this product. The effect however is varied: when I scrunched it into wet hair it made my hair messy yet curly, when I twisted it individual sections when wet it made my curls fairly defined, but when I scrunched it onto dry hair I felt my hair felt quite frizzy as opposed to tousled. The images below show each type of effect (please excuse my facial expressions and shameless selfies!) :

Two things that I really like about it is the level of hold it gives and the immediacy of the effects. As soon as you spray it in you can feel it de-shining your hair and becoming 'Matt & Messy', and found that each effect lasted as until I washed my hair next. In these ways, I guess it is safe to say it does what it says on the bottle!

Another thing is that the liquid itself isn't that sticky, but you can feel it doing it's job.
I would say that the main downsides are how varied the effects it gives are, and the scent, which smells of hairspray!

All in all though, I do like this product and if you want to enhance your curls (or create them if you have straighter hair than mine) this is a good product for laid-back hairstyles! Also the varied effects means that it is versatile, so I guess the more I use it and get used to what application gives what effect this will become a positive!

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Top Ten Casual Black Flats!

2012-11-15T09:58:00.000Z

So I went out on Monday night to Oceana, and had a really really fun night! Only issue is that somehow (and I blame the uber sticky floor) the sole of my favourite shoes ever was ripped off! And then the material on the inside disintegrated (the cherry on the destroyed-shoe cake). Nightmare. So I ended the night dancing with only one shoe on. Here is the destroyed shoe, in case you wanted to seeee:

Look how sad I am! Aha. This is all that is left of my beloved spiked black flats :'(

Now I have the issue of only having boots and brown flats, which is a massive issue because I LIVE in my black flats, and I loved them :( However I have now realised how many lovely black flats there are at the moment on the internet! So I thought I would share with you my top ten that I have found, and you could maybe help me choose which ones to purchase! :D So here are my Top Ten Casual Black Flats!

Not all strictly black, but dark enough with enough black detailing to count ^_^

From Office:
1). Macho lace up navy patent suede, £45: These smart 'proper' shoes are beautiful! I love the mixed textures, and the Navy tones. These shoes are technically from the 'androgynous' trend, but, as a pair of nice smart day-time shoes, they would just as well with a pretty winter floral dress with thick tights!
2). Eclipse 2 buckle black pu black croc, £50: Similar to the first pair, these are also 'proper' shoes! Although these shoes I think are more from the current Gothic trend. I personally love buckles at the moment, and the crocodile panel over the top of the foot makes these shoes look very well made, and a bit different.

From New Look:
3). Black Pointed Brogues, ~~£17.99,~~ £13.49: Not everyone likes pointy shoes, but I must admit I am rather partial myself! These shoes are plain, and would therefore go with anything, but I feel that the pointed toe gives them a little something extra.
4). Purple Cosmic Print Lace Up Trainers, ~~£9.99,~~ £7.49: I must admit that trainers are not the kind of shoe that I usually wear, but at the moment I am lusting after a pair of plain white lo-top Converse! Anyway, I have never seen cosmic print trainers before! I think they are nice subtle way to incorporate galaxy print into an outfit, as opposed to the standard galaxy print leggings that are everywhere at the moment (which I do rather like as well!). I would probably wear these with a really plain outfit, like a loose long black top and leggings or tights. With this kind of 'statement shoe' I find subtlety is key!

From Topshop:
5). Maveriq Tartan Stud Slippers, £32: I am a sucker for a studded shoe, the aforementioned broken shoes being my second pair!! I doooo like tartan, and I think this is actually quite a subtle tartan as well! This would be a good replacement as it is sticking to the M.O. of a studded slipper style shoe, but being patterned is a bit new and different! ... However they may not go with everything, which black does....
6). Mouse Patent Toe Cap Slip Ons, £30: I am not really sure what colour these shoes are! I think they are a dusky teal with a black cap toe. These shoes are pretty standard flats, but the two tone, pointy toe and toe cap make these shoes stand out to me as a nice take on a classic flat.
7). Maths Black Leather Brogues, £30: I have always anted a pair of brogues, and these are a very nice, and surprisingly inexpensive pair! I also love how they are matte black as opposed to patent. These are deffo at the top end of my top ten :P

From River Island:

8). Black Studded Slipper Shoes, £28: These would also be good clean replacement shoes, as they are also slipper-style, black and studded. Also the mini heel, black studding and focus of the studs just over the toes make them different from my original pair. These are very subtle, and I really like these!

9). Black Quilted Flatform Shoes, £25: These are a very nice pair of flatforms methinks! I love the quilting! Also the metal heel makes them a lil bit special.

10). Black Snake Studded Slipper Shoes, £45: Personally, I find these shoes EPIC! Not only are they snakeskin, but they are studded! Not only are they studded, but the studs are excessively spiky! ahaha! I do love them, but I do worry about the practicality of them. Saying that, I really like the actual shape of the shoe. They are like a 'proper shoe' take on slipper-style shoes! They look well made and like they will last as well; but for £45 you would hope so!

Which one is your favourite? I think I like numbers 1, 3, 7 & 8 the best! :D Please comment and share your thoughts, and don't forget to follow meeeee, thank yoooooouu xxx

Primark Haul! (And A lil bit of River Island too)

2012-11-14T11:43:00.001Z

I recently found out that due to a lack of available equipment, the novice girls' crew for my University Boat Club had to be cut down to 16, and I, unfortunately, didn't make the cut. Very sad times indeed. However, it does give me more time to focus on this blog! Hooray! I also went and splurged over the following days and week on winter essentials, and also nice things that I wanted in order to cheer myself up. I mainly went to Primark, as I don't understand why I would pay £15 to £25 on a bobble hat in, let's say Topshop, when they only cost £3 - £5 in Primark, and do the exact same job! I also bought a few bits and bobs from River Island online, as I needed new jeans, and I don't like paying the P&P on only one item of clothing :) #studentliving hahaha. Anyway, here is what I bought:

From Primark:

Snood - I have long wanted a snood, and the current freezing weather was prime time to get one! I chose this one because the rich navy blue will go with everything and the soft and subtle navy sparkle running through the knit gives it an extra something. It is incredibly arm and snug and I love it. Also I believe it was only £5! What a bargain!

Grey Bobble Hat - Classic grey bobble hat with hanging pom-poms! Can't go wrong! This goes with everything and is very simple and I want to wear it when it is snowing!

Red Bobble Hat - Even though this is only a standard red bobble hat, I think this is my favourite purchase from this haul, and I wear it almost every day. It is sooo so snug and warm, I love the colour, it works really well at dressing down a less casual outfit, and all in all I love it and love wearing it.

Nude Studded Boots - I was watching a Primark haul by the blogger Zoe from Zoella and she had bought these boots in black, and I really liked them. I have been looking for some little heeled boots for these seasons for a while, and they only cost £18, so I thought I would at least try them on. I am so glad I did because they are soo comfy! They have a 'squishy' padded sole and are just a pleasure to wear. They also (in my opinion) look really lovely and a bit different, and I am pleasantly surprised at their quality considering their price. Only downside is that on wearing them out for the first time they creased over the top of the foot, which makes them look a bit messy in my opinion; but I actually don't really mind too much!

Black Studded Heeled Boots - When I realised they had run out of the other shoes in black I started considering other similar black heeled boots with studding on them, and at only £18 again, these fitted the role perfectly, and will do me well on nights out and for dinners and drinks etc.

Festive Thermal Socks - Who can resist buying a pair of festive and thick winter socks, ey?! hahaha

Collared Jumper - I spotted this as I was heading to the till and could not resist! This is such a classic jumper in a lovely autumnal colour, but the collar makes it simple yet stylish. Whilst I have simplified my style recently, I am still a bit against completely plain or simple outfits and therefore this collared jumper is perfect for me! A great find, I'd say ahaha.

From River Island:

Jeans - I am not really a 'jeans person', however I do concede that having one pair of jeans on the go is kind of a necessary part of life, therefore the only reason I bought new jeans as because my old ones started tearing all over. I had been looking for ages when I found these ones. I really like how pale they are, as even though it is heading towards Winter now, I feel that they lift an outfit, if that makes sense! Anyway, they are super soft, super comfortable, they fit perfectly and at £30 (I think!) they are also super affordable.

Turban Headband - How lovely is this?! Red velvet, with a gold and burgundy brooch in the centre: I am in love with it! I wear this during the day to spice up a casual outfit, perhaps my new jeans, a baggy plain white t-shirt, leather jacket and boots.

Black Velvet Skater Skirt - I have long loved velvet, and skater-style skirts and dresses are the style that suit my body shape best, therefore this is a great addition to my wardrobe 'staples'. I can't wait to wear this with a simple white shirt, cropped jumper, leather jacket, black tights and boots, for a day-time look, or with a patterned crop top, studded waist belt and heels at night!

So there you have it! I am really pleased with these purchases, I hope you liked them too! Also if it showed you some of the current Primark stock, and inspired you to go check it out that is also cool. Okay, byeee xxx

Outfit of the Day #1

2012-10-31T18:37:00.001Z

Yesterday I went for fajita's at my 'rowing' friends, and this is what I wore! I have recently bought a fair amount of new winter accessories, and as it was freezing outside, I really fancied wrapping up nice, warm and cosy in a few of my new purchases!

What I am wearing:

- Primark boots in camel, with mixed studs on the heel and buckles on the sides

- Burgundy socks from Topshop with a black frill lining

- River Island 'Amelie' jeans in pale denim

- Topshop 'grandad' shirt in white

- Topshop faux-leather jacket

- Chunky knit snood in Navy with flecks of navy/silver sparkle from Primark

- Red velvet Turban Headband from River Island

So I thought I would just try out this kind of post, and I apologise for my startled facial expression and wonky hand, ahaha. Have a happy Halloweeeeeen! x

My Top Ten October Beauty Faves!

2012-10-23T20:56:00.000+01:00

So Summer is officially long gone, and the season's cold, wet and dreary weather has firmly settled in. Sad times for us. However with the season change, I thought I would share with you lovely people who read this little baby-bloglet of mine, my top ten October beauty favourites! I have tried to use products that I have recently discovered and hence used a lot throughout this month, but a few longtime-loves have sneaked their way in. Anyway, without further ado here they are:

Mac Lipstick in Taupe - This was the first Mac Cosmetics product that I ever bought, and it doesn't disappoint! You may think that this was an odd choice for my first time purchase, (because I am extremely pale, and this lipstick is a deep brown), but ever since I bought it at the beginning of summer I have adored it! If I layer it over a bright red lip liner, such as this Barry M lip liner in Red, it really warms the face, whilst keeping it neutral. Without the red base, this lipstick gives a much more edgy look, which is perfect for this Autumn and Winter!

Kiko Lipstick in 614 - Kiko is a makeup brand that is special for me and my friends, because everytime we go on holiday as a group we stumble upon and raid it! So when I stumbled a Kiko store in Lucca with my family, I had to buy something! This colour is gorgeous, incredibly suitable for Autumn, and one I had been lusting after ever since I saw the YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in Rouge Saadi, therefore I had to get it! It is a very buildable lispstick, which works well as I like to scale up the intensity of the colour to use the lipstick from day to night.

Mythic Oil by L'Oréal Professionnel - I am obsessed with hair oils, and L'Oréal Professionnel's Mythic Oil is my current hair-oil-bestie. Hair oils all tame flyaways, smooth frizz, and generally sleek-ify hair, and Mythic Oil does all these things wondrously! Also I loved the free P&P from FeelUnique: what a steal!

Velcro Hair Rollers - I have been attempting the Chelsea blow-dry for a few weeks, in order to control my thick, curly and damaged hair, and I think I am beginning to master it! These rollers, in large and small/ baby pink and hot pink, were only a few pounds per pack from Primark (bargain) so if you have been tempted at all to give rollers a go, now there is no excuse!

Wild Curls Mascara by 17 - I would probably have never bought this, as I adore the Benefit mascaras, but this was given out free at Fresher's Fair, and I love it! It makes your lashes very fluttery and is buildable so you can make your eyelashes as dramatic as you like!

Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment - If you are, like I am, trying to grow your hair long (perhaps in order to save money on scarfs and earmuffs) give this product a try! It smells good, deeply conditions your hair, and the head massage you give yourself in order to use this product correctly is incred. I bought 2 tubs, and after 1 month have just finished my first. Does it work? Well my hair is longer, so who knows? I would like to think that it has helped my hair grow, but I think I i'll use it until the second tub is finished until I make my final decision on this product!

Aussie Miracle Shine Shampoo & Conditioner - I am the biggest fan of Aussie hair products: they just smell incredible and they do what they say on the tub. This new shampoo and conditioner duo was irresistible for an Aussie addict like myself, and I must say I did notice shinier hair having used them together! Success!

Rimmel London Wake Me Up Foundation - this foundation really does give you a dewy complexion, and with the Wintery weather setting in, my skin at least needs all the artificial glow it can get!

Dove Firming Moisturising Lotion - every Autumn/ Winter I search for the perfect moisturizer that can protect my skin from the cold, and this one is up there as one of the best! Whilst I'm not convinced about it's firming qualities, this product is runny, which means that a little bit goes a long way, whilst also leaving my skin feeling silky smooth for days!

Jimmy Choo Perfume - oh Jimmy Choo how I love you! I have had this perfume for ages, but I have recently rediscovered it, and now I wear it everyday again! It just smells divine, and makes me feel all happy inside! Also, did you know this is the only perfume that has toffee in it?? How seasonally appropriate :P

And there you have it :) Thank you for reading, I hoped you enjoyed it, and feel free to recommend/ share with me your current favourite beauty products xxx

AUTUMN / WINTER 2012

2012-08-22T14:55:00.001+01:00

This autumn/ winter, I am really looking forward to more 'classic' look filled with traditionally autumnal colours, heritage styles and classic shapes. I am thinking Barbour-esque jackets, mustard trousers and heeled Chelsea boots. However, I am also very excited by the continued use of leather, lace and studs in this seasons looks, as I think these small touches can modernise a more traditional look, and make things more interesting. These are a few of my favourite pieces from upcoming high street collections.

1). Dark red ponti skirt, River Island, £16. I am a massive fan of the skater skirt, and this rich, burgundy is both on-trend colour wise, and generally a lovely colour. The skater skirt is extremely flattering on most body shapes, and also I feel it is a very girly shaped skirt (as opposed to a bodycon skirt, for example).

2). Light beige PU fallaway jacket, River Island, £60. A fairly mature style jacket, I feel this is an eternally chic jacket, which for some reason I have fallen in love with!

3). Scenic print leggings, Urban Outfitters, £28. This style of legging has been everywhere on lookbook.com and other 'streetstyle' blogs. I love them, and whilst £28 may seem a little steep for leggings, they are a bargain compared to their £70 Black Milk Clothing versions.

4). Burgundy quilted jacket, Dorothy Perkins, £29.99. I found this lovely quilted jacket on StyleCompare.co.uk, and really glad I did, because £29.99 is a very good price for a hooded jacket of this type, and I would never have thought to look at Dorothy Perkins. This jacket will be great for the in between months, worn with dark skinny jeans, Chelsea boots and a pretty, lacy top.

5). Sparkle and Fade pleather ponte skinny trousers, Urban Outfitter, £40. The beauty of these trousers is their simplicity. They subtlety add some 'leather' into your outfit, to update or intensify a plain or classic look.

6). Broughton super skinny jeans, Jack Wills, £49.50. I am a massive fan of mustard at the moment, and these skinny jeans are in a fantastic colour. These can be dressed up or down; casually or elegant; girly with a floral or lace top, or can be styled to the military trend. In other words, they are an extremely versatile item of clothing.

7). London studded belt, Topshop, £18. The studding adds edge, and why not continue the summer's patriotism into autumn/ winter? ;)

8). Red zebra print intarsia jumper, River Island, £35. The colour, the print, the slouchy shape! I love this jumper, which would look amazing over dark skinnys, or over a skater skirt.

9). Timsbury crew, Jack Wills, was £69 now £39. The reason I like this top is the classic fit and style of it. You also know it will be well made and comfortable. Definitely wasn't worth £69, but in the sale it is definitely on my wish list!

10). Sleeveless boucle peplum top, Topshop, £25. Boucle is one of the traditional materials making a strong impact this season, and peplums have recently made a comeback. Again, I like the colour and tailored style of this top, which I think would look gorgeous dressed down or dressed up with edgy accessories.

11). Sequin Laura dress by Jones and Jones, Topshop, £65. Oh this dress! If only I had an appropriate event! The colour is so now and so pretty, the lace is beautiful, and the petticoat-ed skirt is truly stunning.

12). Alexy platform Chelsea boot, Topshop, £75. By far my favourite shoe on the net at the moment! The Chelsea style, the chunky heel and platform! To die for. I believe they will complete pretty much any outfit I can think of for the coming months, and beyond. Beautiful!

Thank you for reading, I hope you are as excited for the autumn/ winter fashion as I am :) x

Neglect Because of University. Back With a Vengeance/ New Jewellery

2012-03-12T23:46:00.002Z

The past few weeks have been quite taxing for me, I had an essay due, pulled an all-nighter and messed up my internal clock. As a result have either been too stressed, or too lazy to blog. I apologise, and am ready to take up where I left off! :)
One benefit of the all-nighter was that by way of distraction I hit the online shops, and now have fabulous new additions to my jewellery box!
Ever since I discovered Regal Rose at the Clothes Show Live (where they won Best Stall), I have become slightly obsessed with their quirky and awesome jewellery. I also love that as a brand it relishes the un-ordinary and each piece is eclectic and different to what you can buy on the high-street. I originally put about 10 things in my basket and the total was something stupid like £500 and so I whittled it down to two items, both rings, which I loved and thought would be wearable on a day to day basis. These are those:

Another lovely touch was the little Regal Rose boxes they came in. The brand is fairly inexpensive, so to have such a lovely touch reminiscent of the blue Tiffany boxes was both unexpected and super appreciated.

I also recently got given an amazing ring by my friend Molly. It was so lovely! So here is that ring, bearing in mind neither of us know where it is from!

Ah, I do love getting new things. And I must say jewellery is always nice to have as you can wear any of it with most outfits, and it can really make an outfit. Anyway, I hope you are all well, and keep checking back, I will be posting a lot more in the coming weeks, I promise!

my shoes say i'm lethal, my dress says otherwise

2012-02-10T16:08:00.000Z

Last night I was perusing the internet when I came across the most amazing studded shoes. Now I have always been a fan of the more whimsical, beautiful and flowing dresses than more punk or grunge look, but I believe the two (shoes that double up as weapons and pretty summer tea-dresses) can be combined with banging results.

Bad Quality of my Webcam because my BRAND NEW camera is broken :(

This look is something that I just cobbled together as an example. The dress is actually a nightdress from River Island, but I have always worn it as a dress with something underneath it to cover my modesty. The jacket is a faux-leather jacket by Topshop, and the shoes are studded, velvet, slipper-style shoes also by Topshop. I really want a new pair of these shoes, because they seem to be disintegrating from too much use, so if anyone knows where I can pick up some relatively cheap new versions, it would be most appreciated! :)

Anyway, below are some dresses and shoes that I think would go perfectly, to edge up a whimsical summery look.

L-R Top row: Sixties Vacation Dress. Wildfox. £97; Shadow Stud platform. Nasty Gal. £161.09; Sleeveless Lace Dress. Topshop. £48; Ruffle Front Wrap Dress. Rare at Topshop. £48
L-R 2nd Row: Point Rivets Leopard Flat Shoes. Romwe. £55.57; Bon Voyage Slip Dress. Wildfox. £69; Lorissa Spike Pump in Blackout. Nasty Gal. £116.87; Esme. KG by Kurt Geiger. £140; Religion Storming Raven Maxi Dress. Asos. £100
L-R Bottom Row: Linden Dress. Jack Wills. £89; Pink Multi Coloured Print Court Shoes. River Island. £55; Gilmore2 Metallic Toecap Points. Topshop. £60

Have a good weekend everybody :) x

In love with unique SS12

2012-02-09T14:20:00.000Z

The SS12 Unique collection has landed at TopShop and I am in love with it! It is so spring-like, happy and on trend. I am usually not a fan of Unique, as (excuse the pun) they try too hard to be unique, often ignoring trends and creating hideous attire as a by-product. Not this season.
Their collection is art deco, intricate, and cool. The prints are clashable in a good way, and the colours are pretty. They even have flatforms!
Taking their inspiration clearly from Egypt and Kitty Cats, Unique describes this collection as: "a journey to ancient Egypt with a hip-hop stop-off at 90s New York! Graphic Prints and gold embellishment sat next to luxe sweats and pared-down hats, all in a palette of candy pink, dazzling aqua and gold, gold, gold!".
So much love for it right now, if only I had lots of money to spend. Stupid expenisve degree. Hahaha. Check out the collection here, and my favourite pieces below.

All Seeing Eye Crop. £60

Cut Out Flatforms. £110

Floyd maxi Dress £110

Foil Hieroglyphic Skirt. £120

Hooded Swimsuit. £60

Mermaid Slip £145

Sheer Panel Silk Jacket. £150

Suede Rucksack. £180

Foil Cobra Sweat. £50

Happy Thursday Everyone :) x

STYLE ICON: Lana Del Rey

2012-02-06T09:38:00.000Z

Ever since my sister introduced me to Lana Del Rey (and then refused to stop singing 'Video Games' all day, everyday, during Christmas), I have become obsessed with her music, style and the imagery of her music videos, magazine covers and album/ single covers.
Whilst many in the Music Industry have described her music as 'just another aspiring singer who wasn't ready to make an album yet. Given her chic image, it's surprising how dull, dreary and pop-starved Born to Die is.' (Rolling Stone), no-one denies that her style is brilliant. I am also rather fond of her music!

Images from Google

Her style encapsulates many of my favourite trends of the coming seasons: Miami Beach, Doll-like, Pattern Clashing and of course those amazing floral headpieces!
Another thing I love about Lana Del Rey's style is that it is totally different to any of the other 'popstars' fashion sense, which tends to be generic and based on the Essex look. Lana Del Rey's style reflects what is on trend now, and her look can be described as very of the moment.
For these reasons I would brand Lana Del Rey as a Style Icon.

STYLE ICON

2012-02-03T18:02:00.000Z

This is a new feature on this blog in which I will try to regularly update you on celebrities, musicians, models, online personalities and fellow bloggers who I believe constitute Style Icons! I hope this will be fun and I can share with you some of my personal fashion inspirations.

Forgive me, I can't remember where I got this image from! oops

Chain Print from Miami Beach

2012-01-31T16:29:00.000Z

The sky outside my room is grey, cloudy, and it looks like it is going to rain soon. To counter act the horrendous-ness of the weather, I have been fantasising about summer: maybe a Tuscan family holiday, long days on the beach, a week away with friends somewhere in a constant state of intoxication...
What I would love to be wearing in these fantasies is head to toe colourful, tacky and beautiful chain print clothes. That or something uber seventies, hippy-chic, with long blonde hair and platforms.

I really am loving the new trends for Spring/ Summer 2012! They embody summer I reckon. Imagine how happy wearing all of these together would make you feel... (although, in all likelihood, I wouldn't!)

Chain Print Bandeau. £16
Miss Selfridge

Coco Backless Dress in Pink Baroque Print. £35
Motel

Jordan Skinny Jean in Blue Baroque Print. £48
Motel

Leopard Blouse. £7.50
Frassy Rags

Moto Baroque Hotpants. £34
Topshop

Hilary Bodice. £22
Motel at Topshop

Pink Tree Print Button Back Top. £16
River Island

It's just such a happy and wonderfully decadent print! I never used to like it either...

I will do a whole new post on the seventies trend for spring/ summer, but goodbye for now :)

All About Accessories

2012-01-27T19:23:00.000Z

I have a new, ardent desire for accessories. I think I took my 75% discount at Accessorize for granted. Anyway, my favourite new (ish) type of jewellery is the ear cuff. I personally first came across this at the Clothes Show Live at the Regent Rose stall. This has sparked two new loves: both of ear cuffs and Regal Rose.
I think ear cuffs appeal because they are little bit different to normal earrings, which I don't tend to wear very often. I also like the idea that they can be incorporated into your hairstyle and serve as both jewellery and hair accessories!
Here are a few of my favourite's from the internet:

Regal Rose also has loads of other "different" styles of jewellery which are really cool and eclectic. They are also reasonably priced! Here are a select few which are on my lust-list.

Grace. Vintage Cross Slave Bracelet. £12

Lena. Huge Copper Gladiator Cuff. ~~£20~~ - £16

Minya. Geometric Armlet. £21

Peta. Feather Ring. £12

Nara. Feather Hair Wrap. £9

The Mod Collar. ~~£15~~ - £12

Padma. Feather Armlet. £20

Maori. Delicate Filigree Hand Armour. £9

That's all for today, but there won't be such a long gap between posts in the future, back to Uni tomorrow!

YourEyesLie

2011-12-13T19:04:00.000Z

Digital Prints @ youreyeslie

Following my purchase of a crop top from the sample sale Youreyeslie stand at the Clothes Show, and a trip to Loughborough, I have fallen in love with the digital print designs from this brand. My personal favourite is either the black and grey lighting bolt tank top, or the owl crop top. But at £26 and £40 respectively, one must wonder whether it is worth it? After all, it is just a tank top/ crop top but with an amazing design. [my top from them was only £9.99, but wasn't digital print].
One can dream though....

Clothes Show Live!

2011-12-12T08:50:00.001Z

I was lucky enough to go to the Birmingham Clothes Show Live this week, and it was pretty awesome. Yes, there was loads of tacky emphasis on The Only Way is Essex and Hollyoaks, but the actual shopping there was incredible. In the mahoosive Birmingham NEC centre there must have been well over 500 stalls, selling samples at wholesale prices. It was unbelievably good value. I had such a good time, and after 4 solid hours scouring every stand I fancied, I retired next to the Coca Cola runway and watched fashion shows from Coca Cola, (surprisingly good), New Look, (god awful), and local Colleges and Universities, which was awesome! Then there was the main event; a conglomeration of runway, music and dance. There was too much emphasis on the dancers, and not enough runway, which is what I had been excited to see, but still a spectacular show. So onto what I actually bought!

Your Eyes Lie crop top. In love.

Velvet leggings for £5. My best buy of the day :)

Enough makeup to last me until I am 25!

I also bought a vintage looking, cream watch-bracelet, which was only £2. Bargain! Also a couple of presents were bought, I wish I could post them, but of course I cannot risk it! ahaha.
Anyway I had a truly wonderful day, and I will definitely return next year. Though maybe I will spend less than the entire day there, as I managed to spend all my money in 4 hours. And that is just depressing.

I am not a fan.

2011-12-09T20:38:00.001Z

There is no reason why I should not love the newest winter trend. Fur Gilets. I adore fur, I have more faux fur in my wardrobe than really is necessary. I love how glamorous it can look. Or how rock and roll (if teamed with leather or velvet or something metallic. It is soft, luxe and beautiful.
I also love gilets, and am the recent new owner of a a&f Alexa gilet for the tres froid Nottingham winter.
But faux fur gilets? I just don't get them, I don't like them, and I actually can't fathom their appeal.
Especially the coloured ones...
I was reading Company magazine, and there was a entire page on faux fur... and there was Cheryl Cole, an outdated celebrity as it is, in a white yeti gilet. Not attractive.
Anyway, here are some examples of what have been heralded as 'on trend' style, and you can see for yourself if they appeal:

Kim K

Chery Cole.

Nicola Roberts

By far the best is the way Nicola Roberts is wearing hers, but then again, her style is the best out of these 3 anyway. But yeah, I cannot abide them: one trend I will NOT be partaking in. No matter how illogical my dislike for them is.

Perfect tippie-toes

2011-11-24T17:37:00.001Z

Today whilst perusing the internet, I came across Rachel Bilson's new shoe range, Shoe Mint (click here if you want to sign up and get exclusive pre-launch deals!) For a celebrity fashion range, the pre-releases make me convinced this is going to be an awesome range! Also for about £50 per shoe and free delivery, this could soon be my new favourite shoe shop.
The début collection consists of 3 styles each in 2 colours. These are my favourite variants of these designs, and honestly I simply adore all of them!

The Edith in Blush Suede

The Jolly in Leopard Pony

The Pauline in Wine Suede

To see the other variations click the link above.
In other news I have created a Lookbook.nu account, but seeing as I don't have camera will probably not be posting any looks in the near future :( Anyway I am off to get ready for Hailey's birthday party, which should be awesome!!