New In|Fashion Haul ft. Topshop and River Island

So as mentioned in my last post, my money has been burning a little bit of a hole in my pocket recently. A combination of having no boyfriend around and the fact that I threw all of my warmer clothes out before leaving for Sydney meant that I just HAD to invest in some new pieces. That's complete justification, right?!

Billabong Bikinis

Now having just mentioned warmer clothes, these two purchases quite obviously don't belong here. But, I thought they were just too pretty not to show off. These gorgeous sets are from Billabong and boy do those Aussies know how to make a good bikini! Having tried, and failed, for years to get away with cheapo purchases from Primark and H&M, I decided enough was enough and I should invest in some proper swimwear. And what can I say - I will never go back. I will definitely be trawling the surf shops of the UK to pick up some more further down the line.

Topshop Joni Super High Waisted Jeans

I have been a huge fan of Topshop Leigh jeans for years - rave review here - but when a friend declared her love for the Jonis, I had to give them a shot. I was not disappointed. They are made of the same super soft, super stretchy fabric as the Leighs but come up a lot higher - which helps disguise the post-pizza food baby that is an all too common occurrence - and also seem to fit a lot skinnier on the lower leg. As with the Leighs, they are also really reasonable at around the £38 mark and are available in a vast array of colours and prints. I'll absolutely be investing in a few more pairs for Spring. Pineapple jeans anyone?!

River Island Tres En Vogue T-Shirt and ASOS Side Zip Jumper

I'm loving white tops at the moment and these two purchases are ideal for Spring when layers are a necessity. They are exactly the sort of items I love to wear for work - easy to throw on with jeans or skirts and a nice change from the dark colours I usually go for. It is starting to get slightly too warm for the thick jumper but this is the perfect neutral knit to throw in your suitcase to wear on holiday when the sun goes down.

Ralph Lauren Pyjamas
Lastly, as much as I hate to admit it, my onesie has been proving a little bit too warm recently and some new Spring PJs were in order. I'm normally a Primark kind of gal but as I'm now in the second half of my 20s (emits a little sob) I thought some grown up jammies were in order. I picked these from the Ralph Lauren Home outlet at Bicester Village so they were really reasonable at around £40 for the set. Not cheap, but not outrageous and they are SO comfortable that they were 100% worth it. Good job RL!

Are you also a fan of Topshop jeans? Do you splash a little extra cash on PJs & swimwear? Let me know! xx

H&M Spring Haul

H&M never fails to disappoint, does it?!  I find the quality lies somewhere between Primark and Topshop and thankfully, so does the price.  Zara is by all means probably my favourite high street store but H&M comes a very close second.  It has definitely come on leaps & bounds in the last few years and doesn't have the jumble sale feel it once used to have.  With the Conscious Collection also at the forefront of their latest campaigns - they are the biggest user of organic cotton in the world - you can also feel you're doing some good whilst purchasing your cheaper-than-the average garments!

I grabbed these boots as soon as I saw them as they are exactly what I have been after for some time; a relatively low wedge that I can tuck my jeans into and wear on a daily basis without looking ridiculous tottering around in my usual array of stilettos.  I wore these tonight with my trusty Topshop Leigh jeans and as well as looking stylish, they were ridiculously comfortable.

From the aforementioned Conscious Collection, these blouses are so pretty, beautifully flattering and a steal at £9.99 - so good, I had to buy in multiple colours; it would have been rude not to!

A few other bits also caught my eye - namely the gorgeous collection of bikinis they have this year which had me conjuring up images of sun drenched beaches and crystal clear sea - but I restrained myself; for the moment!

Now, where did I put that holiday brochure....

xxx

SS12 Inspiration

Toned and tanned skin.  Denim cut offs.  Expensive fabrics.  Lace.  Crochet.  Brown leather. Slouchy tees.  Sheer blouses.   Sundresses. White.  Coral.  Peach.  Mint green.  Gold jewellery.  Turquoise accents.  Effortless hair.

I am so excited about this Summer - new job. new city.  I've got a good feeling about this one.....

Dream Jeans

Every few months, that horrific day comes when you finally have to admit that your jeans do not look fashionably worn in or 'vintage'....they just look old, tired and when it gets really bad, a little bit holey.  Then the panic sets in that you have to set a day to traipse around the shops trying on a hundred pairs of jeans that are either too long/too short/too tight/too loose.  You then give up and decide that maybe your faithful jeans don't actually look too bad and you can get away with them for a little while longer....yeah right..!

Well now, those days are over for me (and hopefully you...) my friends!  These babies have caused quite a stir in the blogging community and having had them in my wardrobe for around 2 months now, I decided I needed to also declare my love for....

TOPSHOP'S LEIGH SUPERSOFT SKINNY JEANS

When I first saw these on the hanger, I though they looked far too thin and assumed they would look too baggy and just generally, pretty awful.  Oh, how wrong I was!  In reality they are:

a) So incredibly soft I could sleep in them

b) Stretchy enough that they hug all the right areas (namely my impossibly flat derrière) and give you a fantastic shape with no saggy knees in sight!

c) Tight enough around that ankles that they look perfect with any type of boot - no bunching up to be seen

d) So durable that even after a million and one washes & wears, they still look as good as new

e) Cheap as chips!

f) Available in a colour/print/length/size to suit absolutely anybody - I've got my eye on some of the fantastic new designs for spring

g) Just generally, bloody fantastic!!

If you haven't been introduced to these already, go and try them on and I promise - you'll fall in love!  You can thank me later... ;)

What would Lauren do?

Style her hair perfectly; apply her make up immaculately; don a simple but beautifully put together outfit; come out with a fantastic quote and generally be classy.  (With a spot of Chanel thrown in for good measure...!)

She is amazing and I love her.  Always glamorous and glossy - a true inspiration for me.  You can have your bed head and boyfriend shirts Olsens and Hudgens - give me LC any day!

Out and about this week - Clothes, Make up, Hair & Nails

Dress: Camden Market

Belt: ASOS

It has been so beautifully hot this week that I have spent most of my time in the garden but when needs must and I've had to pop out, I've chosen this dress a fair few times.  It's far too hot to be faffing about with multiple items of clothing so I've just thrown this on, belted up and gone about my business!  The make up has been super-natural - Nivea young tinted moisturiser; any mascara and a clear gloss.

Nivea Young Tinted Moisturiser

L'oreal Studio Secrets HD Smoothing Foundation

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer

ELF Mineral Foundation - to set

No 7 Mosaic Bronzer - to contour

MAC Hush Cream Colour Base - highlight

No 7 Pink Petal Blush

MAC Bare Canvas Paint - all over lid

Zara black eyeshadow - in crease & outer third

No 7 grey/silver - blended into black 

ELF Medium Eyebrow Kit

Prestige Silk Lipliner

Barry M 147 Lip paint

Jemma Kidd Shell Lipgloss

Earrings: Accessorize

Hair: Styled as in my hair routine

A bit more glam for a night on the town!  I did nearly die from the heat when getting ready though - 28 degree weather + hair dryer + curling tongs = a melted George ...!

Nails of the week: OPI - Got A Date To-knight

I really cannot fault this polish - gorgeous wearable pink, applies very smoothly and this photo is after 5 days of wear.  One of my faves for sure!!

Like, Love, Hate

Thank you Caz for tagging me to do this!  I thought I would use it as my first in/out sort of post. So here are the things I'm liking, loving and hating as of right now...

LIKE

RedKen Anti Snap – If I could only use one product on my hair for the rest of my life, this would be it. It has seriously made the world of difference to my hair and it smells gorgeous too.

Revlon Lipgloss in Peach Petal - I bought this a week or so ago and I have used it every day since. It is basically GOSH Darling but in a lipgloss and therefore a little bit easier to wear.

Receiving Blog Awards – I will get round to posting about them tomorrow!

Xen-Tan Deep Bronze – I've applied this twice now and I really do like it. I don't LOVE it though. It does give an amazing colour but even though I left it for 8 hours a lot of colour still rinsed off in the shower. It also stains your hands so badly and if you do mess a bit up it seems impossible to scrub off. Not HG material but I do like it. I may do a more in-depth review next week sometime.

LUSH sugar scrub - The scrub is really abrasive and left my skin so amazingly smooth. It doesn't smell all that great – slightly medicinal due to the fennel and ginger it contains but I can deal with it considering the way it made my skin feel. This costs £2.60 and I got 4 applications out of it. I would therefore definitely re-purchase for those huge body blitzes we all need now and then, especially with summer fast approaching.

LUSH Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter – This stuff is just amazing. The tiniest bit can do both hands and so £5.50 for a pot is amazing. I have also been using it on my feet over night and I wake up with soft, supple feet – what every girl needs!

Pastel Polishes – I seriously cannot get enough. Currently I have on OPI's Panda-monium Pink but this will change tomorrow I should think! I'll definitely post some NOTDs this week.

Heated Rollers – I completely forgot that I own a set of Babyliss heated rollers – how awful is that? I decided that they need some love and so I used them before I went out last night. I love how easy they make doing your hair, they take 10 minutes to pop in and then you can forget about them and do something else. No faffing around in front of the mirror for half an hour with tongs. I feel they may make a welcome return to my hair routine from now on.

Hollister – Polo shirts; lumberjack shirts; candy striped cami's; distressed denim mini skirts...enough said really. I won't be able to get away with preppy clothes for much longer so I am embracing them now. They do need to sort out the lighting in their shops though – I always manage to walk into something. And did you know the sales assistant's are auditioned to say 'Hi, what's up?' for when they greet customers? Ridiculous, no?! If they fail they get banished to stock room duties....ouch.

The L'oreal 'Scrublet' – This little baby makes my skin feel refreshed and thoroughly cleansed. The little bristles seem to work themselves into your pores and clean them deep down. I think my skin is definitely look a lot more revitalised since purchasing this bad boy.

Summer Holidays – Seeing as my trip to Crete got cancelled this week I can't wait to get some real sun this summer in France, Spain and possibly Ibiza. I now just need to update my summer wardrobe...

Being back in Manchester – I loved being at home but it is great to be back with all my friends and to feel independent again. Had a fantastic night out last night but completely forgot to take any photos so I can't do an OOTN for you...sorry guys!

LOVE

Rediscovering my old foundation routine. I'm not quite sure why I ever changed as it makes my skin look flawless. The saviours?

Nivea Young tinted moisturiser
MaxFactor Liquid Illusion foundation
GOSH Touch Up Concealer
No 7 Crème Touch powder buffed in with a kabuki

I was at my wit's end a week or so ago when no foundation seemed to sit properly on my face for more than half an hour. I then remembered this routine and swiftly when to Boots to repurchase all the products. Cue semi-matte flawless looking skin that lasts the test of time. I'm not going to bother experimenting anymore with foundations – until I get bored again.

HATE

Leggings with a top that doesn't cover the crotch area – not a good look for anybody! Especially when the leggings are basically extra thick tights and you can see a girl's underwear...come on girls sort it out!

Messy housemates – 2 hours of cleaning mess that wasn't mine? Let's just say my Friday afternoon was not an enjoyable one.

Cracked heels and unpainted toe nails – Pedicures should be free on the NHS. Why bother with pretty flip flops and gladiators if your feet ruin the look?! Argh I hate feet at the best of times!

Looming exams – I should be revising but blogging is such a welcome distraction!

Unblended eyeshadow – one of the worst beauty crimes??!

I was meant to mention 3 more but I guess I'm just in a happy place right now! No other things I'm hating at the moment...

I tag anyone who hasn't done this yet as I know it has done the rounds a bit!

xxx

Yesterday

The Outfit

Top: River Island

Belt: ASOS

Jeans: Crafted at Republic

The Hair

Curled the same as in my hair routine.  I decided to go sans hair extensions - this warm weather makes me want to embrace the natural side of things!

The make up

MaxFactor Miracle Touch Foundation - 45 Warm Almond

GOSH Touch Up Concealer - 2

No 7 Creme Touch Face Powder - Translucent - Lightly on t-zone

Prestige Glam Tan 

MAC Paint - Bare Canvas - All over the lip

MAC Eyeshadow - Tempting - Outer third of lid; Lower lash line

Bourjois Clubbing Mascara

ELF Eyebrow Kit - Medium

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss - Peach Petal

Click on photos for a more detailed view xxx

London Haulin'

London Haulin'/London Calling...get it?!! Ohhh gossh I think I am slightly delirious tonight...apologies for my awful attempt at a play on words...!

Anyway, moving swiftly on....

It was my 21st in November, which seems like an absolute lifetime ago, and I received some dolla off some wonderful friends and family.  I was very good and saved all of it up & then added to the little fund with some pennies I earned from nannying this easter.

I then went and dropped the entire lot within the space of a few hours on Thursday in the capital.  As you do!

First stop was Zara which is perhaps my favourite shop in the entire world.  I always find something in there which I absolutely love.  I was quite restrained though and didn't go too crazy....

As soon as I saw this bag I had to have it.  It is so fresh and crisp for the summer and it looks so much more expensive than it's £40 price tag.  Now the task is to keep it looking so pristine....

I find it so hard to photograph clothes nicely - this photo does the top no justice at all.  It is the palest grey chiffon and teamed with skinny black jeans and sky scraper heels, it makes the perfect dinner outfit - right up my street :)

Next stop was the infamous Harrods.  I know it is full of tourists but the store always gives me such a thrill.  It reminds me of when my brother and I were little and we would go to see the front of the store lit up at Christmas.  We then got to pick something out in the Arcade... aww happy memories!  Armed with a giftcard - again from my birthday - I headed straight for MAC.  I didn't pick out anything spectacular but ticked another few things off my never-ending list..!

I bought Bare Canvas paint which I love.  It provides a great base for your eyeshadow or just evens out your eyelids if you are going without.  The other item is a mineralized blush in Dainty.  The swatch below shows it is very sheer - a bit of a disappointment but in hindsight probably good for the summer when my cheeks will be pink enough!

And last but by no means least, I made a trip to Sloane Street for my new Louis..

This was the main reason for my saving - I always said I wanted to invest in a bag for my 21st instead of squandering the money on clothes I wouldn't like in six months.  I absolutely love it - my pride and joy - perhaps this is the feeling people get when they have children?! 

xxx

p.s. I just want to say thank you to Sophie for featuring me on her blog...I feel very honoured.  Please go and check the post out here if you haven't already seen it ... but please excuse my ridiculous posing and pouting...I really need to learn how to take good FOTD photos..!