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Friday 25 October 2013

The Dupe Post | Essie 'Sole Mate'





this week, i popped my Essie cherry, but a mere ten minutes later i saw myself stood in front of the perfect dupe.

i was on the hunt for the perfect deep berry shade and thought i'd treat myself to this little Essie number in Sole Mate - the perfect deep plumy, burgundy shade. i headed out of Superdrug pleased as punch, but as i stood in my local Bodycare store i was faced with a near on perfect dupe of my latest £7.99 purchase for just 99p - yes, 99p! Technic are offering up the shade Morello for a fraction of the price, the only difference i can pick up on is that this has the slightest twinge of a bit more purple in it than its Essie counterpart which has a little more of a reddy hue to it. i currently have one on my fingers, and one on my toes and there is no way you can tell the difference between the two. obviously i am hoping the Essie will last a little longer on my tips for the extra £7, but i will get back to you on that one.

you can pick up Sole Mate here which is currently on 3 for 2, and find your closest Bodycare store here.



Tuesday 22 October 2013

Top Five Tuesdays | AW Lipsticks




L-R | MAC Good To Be Bad | MAC Lady Danger | MAC Viva Glam I | One Direction Kiss You in Be Mine | Barry M Lip Paint in 160

hi girls! 

i know i've been pretty absent from the blog lately, but in my time off i've been trying to brainstorm some new ideas for posts and came up with 'Top 5 Tuesdays' where every Tuesday (obviously), I'll be sharing my Top 5 of a certain product and i'm going to kick it off with A/W lipsticks. while we're here, i would also like to apologise for the poor quality and lighting in some of the photos you'll be seeing in the near future - i've just moved into a new house at university and there is literally nowhere with good daylight to take pictures. team that with the nasty wintery weather and i'm really struggling trying to find somewhere decent to take pictures so please bare with me! 

we all know by now that autumn and winter bring all the berry lip colours out, so i dug through my lippy collection for the five that i'll be reaching for the most this season. first is MAC's Good To Be Bad, a deep, plumy red with a few hints of brown from their sheen supreme line. i'll wear this more the closer it gets to christmas, it's a definite festive favouite! matte lipsticks are my favourite formula for this time of year - i just prefer deeper shades without so much of a sheen, and MAC's Lady Danger and Viva Glam I are the perfect candidate. Lady Danger is a real, true red, and a perfect match for those festive fairisle prints, and Viva Glam I is a classic deep red which has barely left my lips since I got it. i've also got two more budget friendly ones with the first being from the MUA and One Direction collab (hold your judgement, girls). this is the Kiss You in Be Mine lipstick, which is coincidentally the shade of my boy Harry. if Lady Danger and Viva Glam had a lipstick lovechild, this would be it with a little hint of a shimmery sheen to it. it is still predominantly matte, and for just £3 i would say this is of just as much quality as any other lipstick in the drugstore. finally is the first berry shade i ever picked up and it's the Barry M Lip Paint in 160. again, another matte shade and more on the purple side than the red and i would say a true burgundy shade. 

what colours will you all be reaching for this season?



Friday 18 October 2013

The Guest Post | Your University Wardrobe: Autumn Semester Staples

happy friday, girls! 

something a little different tonight, and as a little bit of a filler whilst i work on getting posts written up, photos taken and videos filmed! i have a guest post from my lovely housemate, Nicola, about wardrobe staples for university students. this actually ties in perfectly with a post i have coming up soon about how i keep up my ridiculous shopping habit whilst on a student budget, and i think Nic has it nailed here! 

i will try my best to resume some sort of normal blogging in the next week or so, and you can also watch my latest haul video in the meantime by clicking here!


If you started university this year, your biggest dilemma was likely over your wardrobe situation – what do you take? Even though most students will travel home during the semester - thus giving them the opportunity to swap clothes in and out of their home wardrobe and into their university one – they feel inclined to take every item of clothing that they own, ‘just in case they need it’.

If you were one of those students, you’ve probably realised by now that storage is in short supply in student housing, particularly in halls. So why not send some clothes home the next time your parents come up, and just keep these essentials in your university dressing-up box?

Torso and Upwards

Granny’s chunky knitwear
The start of term very much holds the months where the transition from summer to autumn takes place, taking the warm weather with it. As such, chunky knits are a must for the autumn/winter semester, particularly if you’re a second or third year in a three-decade-old terraced house paying utilities by the meter. Knitwear is both comfy and snug, and is ideal to chuck on for a trip to the library or if you have a date with that ice cold lecture theatre… again.
Super-slouchy shirts
Especially suitable for those days after the bar crawl when you’re feeling a little worse for wear. Fashion goes out the window when the hangover looms; it’s all about the comfort factor and slouchy shirts are the perfect apparel for the job.

A Perfect Parka
With heavy rain and blustery winds typical characteristics of autumn’s arrival, you’ll need something to keep the elements out and you toasty during the walk to campus; cue the humble parka! Fur-lined for the most part with a huge hood, this style of coat will trick your brain into thinking you’re still wrapped in your duvet instead of braving the cool morning air!



Legs and Downwards

Keep it skinny
If you’re layering up on top with knitwear and winter coats, you’ll need to balance out your look by wearing something a little less bulky on the bottom. Whether you opt for coloured skinny jeans, comfortable jeggings or even the trusty old cotton leggings on your lower half, keep the silhouette on your legs tight. This evens out the bulk with your upper half, and can also keep you much warmer than flared jeans, that just capture the draught.  

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Puss in boots
Boots are key to keeping your feet clean and dry throughout October and November, as leaves begin to pile up on the paths and puddles appear in every crevice. Stick to leather boots, ankle or knee-high, and avoid those cosy ugg-style boots – the suede will soak up moisture like a sponge!



Essential Accessories

Snuggle in snoods
Snoods have become a firm favourite with both young women and fashion bloggers across the globe, and so are an absolute must for your first semester wardrobe. Available in a range of colours, these cable-knit beauties will keep the bracing breeze from getting inside your coat, all whilst adding an accent colour to your outfit.

Tights, tights and more tights!
Tights are a highly versatile item of clothing that are great for layering under skinnies to add an extra layer of warmth, or for adding a pop of colour or patterning to your otherwise plain clothing ensemble. If you’re layering, opt for a lower denier to avoid stretching your leggings. If you’re being brave and wearing them alone, opt for a higher, woollen denier to save your pins from the goosebumps!

You can leave your hat on!
It has been scientifically proven that you lose most of your body heat through your head, so the key to keeping cosy outdoors is to keep it covered. Bobble-topped beanies are easy to coordinate with snoods and gloves, and look great worn with loosely waved hair. Beanies are also great for hiding those bad hair days – or those days where you just cannot be bothered to do anything with your mop.

Go old-school with a satchel
Satchels have really made a comeback in recent years thanks to their practicality and vintage flair. The leather structures of satchels make them sturdy enough to carry laptops, alongside ring binders, writing pads and other essential stationary. There are many new companies out there offering satchels in a range of contemporary designs, so have a scout around to relive your primary school years!

Now that you have had an experienced student’s guide to wardrobe choices, take a look at what is crammed into your university wardrobe. Do you really need that floaty floral maxi dress and those cut-off denim shorts during this season? The answer is probably not, unless you can brave the elements! So send some clothes home; you’ll have less ironing to do on the weekends!


About the author
Nicola is a freelance fashion writer who works alongside Rebel Rebel Clothing (http://www.rebelrebelwear.co.uk), a female fashion company dedicated to helping you look good; even on a student budget!






Monday 14 October 2013

The OOTD | These Boots Were Made For Blogging






Top - Topshop | Jeans - ASOS | Boots(*) - Simmi Shoes

so someone bought themselves a tripod and can now take OOTD pictures by herself! honestly the best investment i've made in a long time because i really want to get more fashion posts on the blog in the future, but back to the point of these blog posts - hello, perfect Winter boots! 

these beauties are from Simmi Shoes, and i would highly recommend you check out their site if you are after a pair of cut-out boots for this season - they have a pair to suit everyone from chunky and embellished to chic and sophisticated, and all in a range of colours. i went for the style called 'Connie' - a perfect every day boot which is super versatile. not only will i be teaming this with jeans and jumpers, but i think they will also look super cute paired with a girly dress and ankle socks to give my look a little more 'edge'. the quality is just as good as boots which would cost twice as much on the high street, and i'm sure that these will barely leave my feet... even when next Summer comes around! 



Wednesday 9 October 2013

The Video Post | What I Got For My 21st Birthday

sorry for being so absent lately, but it's been really hectic with moving back to uni and then celebrating my 21st birthday last week, so I thought i'd do a quick little 'What I Got For My Birthday' video to make up for it - enjoy!