Archive for September 2012

Clinque Perfectly Real Foundation shades 24(G) and 14(N) | Fanomenal Lash Mascara | Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Liner | No 7 Sunkissed Bronzing Pearls | MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in Medium Plus | MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle | YSL Touche Éclat in 3 | Real Techniques Powder Brush | Real Techniques Stippling Brush | MAC Small Contour Brush 109 | | ELF Eyebrow Kit
There was a time when I would not buy makeup that wasn't from the self-selection in Boots. Mainly because I didn't really know much about makeup and I didn't fancy forking out £25 for a foundation simply to experiment with. Cheap and cheerful, that was my makeup bag! However, having gathered my makeup all together (usually strewn accross my room) I've noticed that I have succumbed to a kind of 'makeup snobbery'. I blame the blogs; reading about the 'holy grail' products of other bloggers has definitely influenced me to spend more on makeup than what my mother might approve of. That and of course my best friend Freya is ABSOLUTELY addcited to makeup it's scary (she convinced me to blow £20 on the Touche Éclat on a whim in duty free - although I did need a new concealer and it is AMAZING). Although I do still use my old favourites from NO.7 and Rimmel!

My absolute favourite products here are Real Technique brushes (if you haven't already invested in these then you must!), the MAC Skin Finish Natural which is perfect for setting foundation, and the Touche Éclat.

The one product I won't be repurchasing is the ELF Eyebrow Kit - can anyone PLEASE recommend me a really good product for eyebrows? (You can read about my eyebrow angst here) x

PS. They seem to have discontinued the Benefit Eyeliner I use (how long have I HAD it?!) but I guess this is pretty much the same.

As I sit here looking out the window at the God-awful weather that has encompassed us today, I'm forced to accept that summer is well and truly over. There's no point in trying to frantically cling on to the surprisingly warm weather we've had in the last week or so. It's gone. Now, I do like Autumn; after a couple of months of donning shorts and vests, I'm more than ready to embrace the layering and the lovely tan and khaki colours that Autumn has to offer. However, it seems that as soon as we're settled into our Autumn wardrobes and got the hang of it all again, Winter rears its ugly, unwelcome head. There is nothing I hate more in this world than being cold (even spiders come second place to frosty, rainy mornings). Winter literally makes me want to cry and I am absolutely convinced that the only reason Christmas exists is as compensation for the harsh winter months and to stop people losing the will to live.

I've been preparing myself for the inevitable frost with two of my favourite and most trusted fashion databases: Polyvore and LookBook. I love the nude tones of this winter set from Polyvore and I loooove the boyfriend style coats of the LookBooks, especially the Romwe one in the first look (unfortunately no longer in stock, of course). I had a little browse through my favourite highstreet online stores and found this from Topshop. This nude boyfriend fit coat is a beautiful combination of both the Poly and the LookBooks and the jersey lining adds that much more warmth to it. It's sooooo perfect <3 #lovelovelove

one.two.three
I tried convincing my boyfriend to buy this for me because I quite simply need it to surivive the winter (both warmth-wise and fashion-wise), but unfortunately he simply suggested that I make more use of the faux fur leopard print from Zara that I also needed last year...

Ahhh someone buy me this! What coats have you got your eye on for this winter? x

Just a few photos from London Fashion Week - seems like a distant memory now! I've been back at uni for two weeks now, but lectures only started this week. I've been enjoying the frolics of my last ever Freshers week (providing all goes to plan!) this week. It's been SO much fun seeing everyone after the four month long summer, but now I am SO tired; an overindulgence of alcohol and fast food mixed with 3 hours sleep a night doesn't sit as well as it did when I was 18, somehow! #oldlady.

Any first years going off to uni in the next couple of weeks? I am so jealous, those were the days! x

Top: Zara
Skirt: H&M
Shoes: ASOS
Hat: Topshop
Tights: Boots

I think this is my favourite of my three Fashion Week outfits. I saw this top in Zara last week and literally bought it right there and then! I love the rolled up sleeves and the stud detail along the arm *drools*. I absolutely love the military trend; I much prefer to dress a little edgier rather than girly so this is right up my street! I saw the skirt in H&M months ago and although I really liked it, I never bought it. When I saw the Zara top I knew I needed this skirt to go with it - and luckily they had ONE left hidden at the back of the store! Obviously it was meant to be. I've had the shoes for a little while but I've only worn them once or twice because they make me too tall. I don't like towering over everyone else, so they're not ideal daytime wear for me. Perfect for Fashion Week though, where 'the taller, the better' is rule #1!

So I'm done at Fashion Week for this season, I'm so sad to not be going back! Stupid inconvenient degree! I've got tonnes of Street Style photos for the magazine though - now I have the mammoth task of sieving through all my pictures, typing up all my notes, and starting my feature to be submitted next week! I'll definitely link the Street Style Blog when it's up! I'd like to thank my beautiful cousin for being my 'assistant' throughout the weekend! She took all my outfit photos for me too which is a refreshing change to my tripod, which can be very frustrating! I'll do a Fashion Week Roundup post sometime this week too, I just need to get back into my routine at uni first! x

Top: Bershka
Trousers: Topshop
Shoes: Primark
Necklace: Primark

I'm not usually one for tailored trousers, but these chiffon ones are absolutely spot on for me! You can't really see in these photos, but they are slightly see-through with little shorts underneath - right up my street! Unfortunately these shoes lasted all of an hour at Somerset House before I forfeited them in favour for my nice, flat studded Vectras; stilettos and the cobblestone streets of Covent Garden DO NOT mix. And they're slightly too small.

I don't really have much to say this evening. I am absolutely exhausted from Fashion Week (really takes it out of you!) and when I got home this evening I was greeted by a house full of people; all my friends have moved back to London for the new semester and I am soooo happy to see them all again. We went out for a celebratory Harvester, of course.

Tomorrow is my last day at LFW which I'm really sad about - I want to go everyday! It's been really fun though! See you again tomorrow! x

Top: Primark
Disco Pants: American Apparel
Jacket: Stradivarius
Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell

So unless you've been living under a rock, I'm sure you'll be aware that today kicked off the start of London Fashion Week S/S 2013. I attended as Hairdressers Journal's Street Style Reporter; camera in hand (or round neck), I spent the day roaming around Somerset House and Covent Garden snapping pictures of and conducting friendly interviews with the trendiest/best hairstyles of Fashion Week's attendees for my Fashion Week feature in the magazine. HJ have also offered me the amazing opportunity of being their Street Style blogger; I'll have a regular blog on their website along side other members of the HJ team such as the Editor and HJ's 'Celebrity Spy'. Excited is an understatement. I literally jumped up and down on the spot when I received the email! That should be setup over the next week so I'll be sure to link it when it's up and running!

Somerset house was as weird and wonderful as ever; many different people, many different styles, ALL strutting and posing with the same air of self-importance. But that's what we love about Fashion Week! I will be attending all weekend (I'd love to go for the whole week but I have lectures, boo!) and I'll do a round-up post at the end. I'll also be posting my outfits on here too.

Are you attending Fashion Week this season? x

PS. Soz for wearing Disco Pants for the last THREE outfits...I'm actually a bum and these are the only trousers I own. Promise it'll be different next time!

Top: eBay
Disco Pants: American Apparel
Shoes: eBay
Necklace: H&M
This is the outfit I wore for a work friend's birthday meal at the weekend. Last week I laid eyes on these beautiful Zara shoes. I immediately concluded that I HAD to have them, or at least a cheaper version of them. Although £40 isn't an extortionate amount of money to spend on a pair of shoes, I will take this opportunity to remind you that I am a student (/party-goer/tax-dodger/generally poor person). As a student I have the problematic task each month of stretching my measly £200 from my part time job to (first and foremost) feed my unhealthy addiction to acquiring new clothes. Then whatever might be left over has to provide me with enough food to survive on, enough alcohol to get drunk on and, of course, cover the cost of the inevitable library fine(s). I found this patent pair on eBay for just £10 (this seller) and although the Zara pair are really nice, I'm more than happy with these for a quarter of the price! While my feet haven't quite forgiven them for being somewhat uncomfortable at the weekend, my eyes simply cannot stop admiring them. To all those fashion conscious students heading off to university for the first time this month: EBAY IS YOUR FRIEND. If you're interested in buying a pair, I'd definitely recommend sizing up as they do come up small!

Yes it's THAT time of year again, where I pack my car with Ikea bags full to the brim with all my things and head off to uni for the new semester. I've got a week of full on reading ahead of me as a final bid to get my reading list finished before the semester starts. BUT this weekend I will be attending London Fashion Week which I'm really excited for! I'm going to be working for weekly glossy magazine of the hairdressing world, Hairdressers Journal. I worked for them last season too, so I'm really happy they're having me back again! x

I finally bought myself a proper camera (and when I say 'bought myself' I of course mean borrowed the money from my dad and plan to pay him back over the course of...a couple of years)! I've wanted a DSLR for well over a year now but couldn't really justify spending the money on one simply to take pretty pictures for Facebook. Having recently been offered an amazing opportunity for which a more professional camera is required (more about that another day...), I finally bit the bullet and chose the Nikon D3100 - and I couldn't be happier! I'm certainly not a professional photographer (I was pronouncing Nikon 'Nike-on' until quite recently) so it's probably going to take me a little while to get used to all the buttons and dials and shiz, but I will get there eventually! I've literally been taking photos of EVERYTHING.

In other news I went to the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour yesterday which was AMAZING! It really exceeded my expectations and I really enjoyed walking down Diagon Alley and sipping Butterbeer (which is really yummy). Although there were a couple of hiccups along the way; I forgot to print off the confirmation email which resulted in my friend having to ring the studio to get my booking number whilst I was zooming down the M25, then when I arrived I realised I'd only bought FOUR tickets when there was FIVE of us! Disaster considering it is clearly stated on the website that tickets are NOT sold on the door. It's ok though, I managed to swing a deal and got entry for the fifth member of our party (ie. there was a cancellation - phew!) x

Last week I found myself at Gatwick airport for the last time this summer boarding a plane with my best friend and two of my cousins to visit the Burgh for a few days. In my whole 21 years I've never crossed the boarder and visited Scotland; I've always assumed (and I hope any Scottish readers will forgive me!) that Scotland was a colder, rainier version of England. However, having visited everything in Edinburgh from the Castle to the underground dungeons, I can safely say that this beautfiul city is every bit different from London.

We gallivanted around Grassmarket and roamed down the Royal Mile, both of which are home to some of the CUTEST little shops (the stationary/card shops are fantastic - I'd strongly advise you buy everyone's birthday cards for the next 10 years in your single trip) and most beautiful old buildings. I actually felt as though I was wandering around Hogwarts Castle grounds. Speaking of which, we had brunch at The Elephant House café which was one of J. K. Rowling's favourite haunts when fleshing out the plot of her first novel.

I think if it didn't get quite so cold, then I'd love to live in Edinburgh (my friend and I have already picked out the most perfect five bedroom flat complete with 4 bathrooms, a balcony and a games room. No biggie); not only is this small city full of beatiful buildings and bursting with history, the locals are also some of the friendliest people I've ever encountered. Shop keepers and tour operators alike didn't even want to see PROOF that we were students - could you IMAGINE that happening in London! More likely that you'd be expected to pull out a student card, your national insurance number and birth certificate before you get 10% off in Topshop! Not only that but there is THE most amazing Primark on Princes Street. I would advise any travellers to pack minimally and just buy a whole new wardrobe there!

Unfortunately we only had 3 days (2 nights) to carefully plan our visit around, but if we'd had an extra day I would have loved to explore more of Scotland with a day trip to the Highlands and Loch Ness. But I'm sure I'll be taking another visit to Scotland sometime - I HEART SCOTLAND! x