Wednesday Wants

Another Wednesday, another bunch of wants. No matter how much I buy, there's always something I've convinced myself I need. I've been really working on my room lately, clearing out all the crap. I've even started on my PJ draw and after beginning the Gossip Girl series (again), it's made me want  more glamourous nightwear than the "I love being cute" PJ's I currently own. Well, to avoid yet more rambling, here's my wants!

Maybelline The Nudes Palette has been on just about everyone's lips lately. I've never been one for Maybelline shadows as I never found the quality to be that good. That being said, the reviews for this palette have been very promising and to seal the deal, my girl crush Carlibel used this in one of her tutorials. Consider me sold.

The Bow Ballet Slipper Sock is one of those things I know I could live without, but I just don't want to. As forementioned, I want a more grown up PJ collection (sad) and I think these are just lovely to roam about the house in.

Rosie Huntington-Whitelys Floral Camisole Top and Floral Satin Pyjama Shorts are enough to make a grown woman weep. Sleeping in satin is like nothing you've ever felt before and honestly, when they're this gorgeous there's literally no reason I can think of to not make them mine. Kudos Rosie, kudos.

I've been loving smart simple dresses lately and this Dark Grey Fine Knit High Neck Midi Dress (seriously New Look, couldn't think of a shorter name?) is no exception. Throw on some tights and pointy heels and you've got yourself a super elegant outfit. Can't stop buying!

I think for my sanity (and my bank balance) I need to stop there. There's so much I still need in my life like VS undies (just for the sake of having a pair) and a few other bits and bobs. But, I'm grateful for all I have and I know these pretty things are uninportant in the big scheme of things. Alas, until next time lovely readers.

Laura.

The Red Dress

Good evening all! I am feeling happy (yet slightly ill) today as it is the first of February. There's something depressing about January and I'm not sure if it's the weather or something else. For me, January was a big month (Diary post coming soon) and honestly I'm glad to see that back of it. February however, brings happier times. Valentines day is coming up and I love nothing more than a good excuse to treat the lovely boyfriend. Plus, after a lovely valentines day, we have pancake day, woohoo!

For me, V day is the perfect time to get dressed up and feel a million dollars. Nothing says $$$ quite like a red dress and so I've thrown together all my favourite Red dresses to inspire us in time for V day. I'll also be doing a dress selection in another post so keep your eyes peeled!

These red dresses sported by Blake Lively and Rhianna look astonishing. B is my absolute girl crush and one of the main reasons I adore Gossip Girl. This outfit is no exception and she looks flawless. Plus, it's this picture that began my love affair with the plaited pony hairstyle. Meanwhile, RiRi shows she has some serious confidence by wearing this daring dress and looks absolute perfection.

If there's two things I love in this world it's Elie Saab and chiffon. There's just something so elegant about the way chiffon moves that makes it the perfect material for a red dress. I love the dress on the far right as it's off the shoulder design looks feminine and girly all in one.

I actually think that if I could get away with wearing Taylor Swift's dress to a dinner for two, I absolutely would. I think she looks like an absolute goddess. My only regret is that I'll probably never have an excuse to wear a dress as pretty as this one. Staring at it will have to do, *sigh*.

Aren't they just to die for! I think that practicality dictates that I'll be wearing something a little less OTT on the big day, but it's safe to say that I'm set on red. It's almost a mandatory uniform by this point. Following all the perving on dresses, It's time for some general V day pictures to leave you feeling all gooey!

And so I must bid you adieu! In the pipeline will be a V day inspired makeup look, a diary post and as mentioned earlier, a dress selection by yours truly. As of this moment I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing so I'll have to be sure to find out so I can dress acordingly. But lets be honest, any excuse to delight in outfit planning is fine with me! Have a wonderful evening (what's left of it, I've spent far too long oggling pictures) and until next time!

Laura.

What I bought with my Christmas Money

Hello all. Around this time of year, if you're like me, you're welcoming in the new year with a shopping spree or two. With Christmas money, I always feel like I need to make more of an investment with my purchases so I always make a list of the things I really want, to avoid me spending money on silly or rash things. I hope this doesn't make me sound ungrateful as over Christmas I've already received more than enough lovely things! These are only a few of the things I bought (mostly because I forgot to take photos of the rest, oops) but I hope you like them nonetheless.

For me, an everyday bag is a big deal. It has to go with everything in your wardrobe and needs to carry all the crap that always somehow ends up in it. But we're not going to carry any old tat around, oh no, so choosing one becomes a very personal choice. For me, I always like to think through what sort of colour schemes it needs to match (sad) and then go searching for a bag that ticks all those boxes (more sad). That being said, despite countless searches, I never found one that was just right. Last week, I went to visit my lovely boyfriend at university and decided that whilst he was in lectures, I'd do a tad shopping (dangerous). I walked into New Look with the intention of buying work trousers (lies) that I really needed (more lies). When I saw this bag, it was like birds were flying and angels were singing because I knew that I'd finally found the one. There was only one left but needless to say I practically ran over there and grabbed it. We've been hand in hand ever since. It's love.

When it comes to buying a new bag, buying a new purse to go with it is mandatory, right? I've always loved River Island purses for their quality and always seem to have really good card organisation (again... sad). That being said, not so impressed with the super large price tags attached. It's the age old question, do you buy a purse for £17 and no money in it or have a cheaper one with more dollar in? I don't need to tell you which I chose as this little beauty is now a permanent resident in my new beautiful bag.

I can't tell you how long I've been searching for a Topshop with the Orelia jewellery brand. I saw them shopping with a friend ages ago and loved how delicate the jewelery was and since hadn't found them anywhere. When I did finally find it again, I knew I had to take advantage of the opportunity and picked up a few little bits that caught my eye. I love paring fluffy jumpers with dainty little necklaces like this one for a feminine look. Plus I feel like the anchor charm was just a no brainer. They also had other cuties like a wish bone and cupids arrow, adorable!

Grey High Neck Long Sleeve Swing Dress £19.99 Here

Rose Gold Contrast Centre Watch £19.99 Here

Black Buckle Side Ankle Boot £24.99 Here

This little swing jumper dress was a complete find. I think this super smart sort of trend is really coming into it's own. It makes you feel feminine, smart and grown up, all in one trend. The fact that this swing dress covers inevitable food baby dilemmas whilst simultaneously being the most comfortable dress ever makes it my number 1 favourite outfit of the moment.

I team the jumper dress with my next little purchase, these adorable little ankle boots. I much prefer ankle boots to any other type of boot as they lengthen the legs but are actually comfortable and weather appropriate. These are waterproof and being black will go with everything.

And finally, the rose gold watch. The picture above isn't actually the watch I picked up, but was as similar as I could find. My watch has a purple dial but is otherwise the same. I'm not sure what it is that draws me to rose gold things but I've really entered into a love affair with it at the moment. Plus, a good watch never goes out of fashion and what's more, looks wayyy more expensive than it is.

It was actually these love heart earrings that drew me to the Orelia brand in the first place. They are so tiny and delicate, the photo really doesn't do them justice. Put it this way, they are probably about 6mm wide, that's tiny. The little butterfly earrings (which weren't in a multipack by the way, just put them on the same card for storage) we're one of those items that you see and know you shouldn't buy but just can't walk away from. Zero willpower for pretty things.

Even I don't know how I manage to ramble this much about basically nothing. Besides the above, I also picked up a plain, unremarkable pair of dolly shoes and some boring old work trousers. Sadly, between this lot and nights out, I've depleted my Christmas money now. But my post winter wish list is not exhausted just yet. Next on my list is the Scholl micro pedi so I can start getting the feet summer ready as the thought of it is sending me running for the hills. Anywho, that is quite enough from me! If you've made it this far, thanks and I'm sorry! Lots of love,

Laura. 

What I got for Christmas 2014

Good evening all! This post is a wee bit late but I was fortunate to have lots of things so had to narrow down which ones I was going to talk about (I know right, lucky girl). I decided on the ones where the photos actually turned out, cause some were super dark. Not okay for my little space of the web. Anywho, babbling aside, I was super excited to present my family with their gifts and thankfully they all loved them which made me feel amazing for knowing them so well. My sister was actually in work on Christmas day so we waited to have dinner until she finished and welcomed her with party poppers. In the end we all had a wonderful day and it proves it really isn't about just gifts. That being said, they are a lovely bonus so without further adieu, here's what I got for Christmas.

I've been a big fan of Youtube Guru Zoella for a long time now and when I heard she had released a book I was desperate to get my hands on it. It's funny because I joke my mom, I mean Santa, has a knack for knowing what it is I want without me asking for it. this little gem was no exception and I found myself unwrapping it on Christmas day without telling anyone that I wanted it. I've begun reading it and so far so good, it's funny and charming and shaping up to be a really good read. Depending on when I finish it, I may review it as next months Book of the Month so keep your eyes peeled.

I think I mentioned this perfume in my What I got for my Birthday post (Here) and said then how much I love it. Since then, not much has changed and I still wash in the stuff daily. I think one of my new years resolutions should be to use less perfume on a daily basis as the volume I use in one go is getting to be a joke. That aside, it's still my #1 favourite scent ever.

For me, pearly whites are a reflection of good hygiene. I've really upped my tooth care lately as I had a problem with an apsis where it swelled my face up the day before my dissertation deadline. The pain it caused me was enough to make me never neglect my teeth again. Many people actually comment on how white my teeth are already but I wanted them to be even whiter and so I asked my dentist which at home whitening kits are best and he suggested this type. Then I just suggested it to Santa and was lucky enough to receive it. I am yet to try it but you know that as soon as I do I will be doing a full review.

Continuing on with my previous point, I really wanted to try an electric tooth brush and like always, Santa just knew what I wanted. This bad boy is actually not too expensive from what I hear (under £20) but you can't tell from the results. I've used this twice a day since and my teeth are beautifully clean. Plus it has a 2 minute timer which means I'm brushing for the correct time whereas with manual brushing I may not have reached this daily. Overall, very impressed but again I will do another full review soon.

You can imagine a beauty bloggers delight when she opens a box full of beauty goodies. First I unwrapped this Avon Glow bronzing powder which whilst I haven't been using it much in these winter months, it will be an absolute statement piece in Spring and summer. I have heard that this brand is especially good for giving you a natural glow.

Again, I'm a big fan of Avon products and these two glimmer stick are so pigmented, they're a dream come true. The blue liner is particuarily vibrant and it may be making an appearance on NYE. The golden bronze shade is beautiful too, it's super wearable and I think you could get away with wearing it everyday for a light smoky eye. The quality, from what I've seen so far, is superb and I am looking forwards to wearing them on a night out.

I am an avid fan of Eylure false eyelashes but recently saw these on my #1 girl crush Carli Bybel and thought that I had to put them on my Christmas Wish List. I haven't been disappointed and whilst they are super long, they're very 'wispy' as the name suggests. I created a smoky eye look for Christmas day as shown in the image of me above. I'm smiling because I love them so much. Plus, you get four in a set for just $15 but they do ship abroad.

I was actually hysterical when I unwrapped this bad boy as it seems to be one of the holy grail products for all make up lovers. The difference in the pigmentation of my eye shadows after using this is actually hilarious. Again, I will be doing a full review but from what I have seen so far, I'm very impressed with the versatility and quality of Mac Fix +.

And finally, what would Christmas be without some adorable new PJ's. I tell you I will be a 90 year old woman still in love with all things Disney. These Pj's, with their tartan theme, are just perfect for winter and they're so comfortable that they send me right off to sleep. I've also had some cute penguin ones of my nanny, thanks nan!

I've also received lots of other lovely goodies, included a beautiful lilac coat. Whilst it looks beautiful on the hanger, I'm not sure it looks as amazing on me, but my mother has assured me Santa would prefer me to swap it for something else if I'm not 100%. I still love it though!

I'll leave you with some pictures of Christmas Dinner, questionable décor aside. I even put a little cracker crown on my dog and shockingly, he actually left it on long enough for me to take this picture. And now, my lovely boyfriend has arrived for a film marathon so I'm off for now! Thanks for reading and have a lovely new year!

Laura.

New Years Eve Lookbook

Good evening all, I've been trying to overcome the post Christmas blues by throwing myself into searching for that all important NYE outfit. Last years plans consisted of going to my boyfriends fathers pub with my family and dancing the night away. Honestly, the atmosphere was absolutely electric and I can't wait to do the same this year. For me, I want to go all out glamour with as much glitter as I can find. I'm even thinking of investing in some Mac pigment and go all out on the eyes. As always, I drove my family mad talking outfits, makeup and heels so thought what better to get in the spirit than to put together this look book. I've compiled a few dresses, heels and then a few nail looks to give you some inspiration. Enjoy!

(From Left to Right)

Blue Vanilla Sweetheart Neck Black Dress £20.00 Here

Lace Bodycon Tunic £36.00 Here

L.E Embellished Feather Hem Dress £125 Here

Chi Chi Lace Front Dress £26.99 Here

Pink Sequin Floral Hem Shift Dress £20.00 Here

As far as new year is concerned, it's all about glamour and going a little bit over the top. The first dress is actually completely the opposite of that, but I thought that it was so plain and simple you could go over the top with the accessories, plus at £20.00 it was cheap enough to splurge on the clutch.
The lace dress is again rather plain but the beautiful colour is enough to make anyone weep and would look amazing paired with all gold accessories. Now, on the other end of the price spectrum is this Limited edition Feather dress from Topshop. Rather pricey at £125, but is all the glitz and glamour you'll need in one dress. Plus, if you're wanting to make a statement, this is the way to do it.

Again, another plain dress with this Chi Chi lace front dress but if you want to still look glamorous it can be done with this simple beauty. And last but not least, an all glam dress in this pink sequinned beauty. Pair this with simple accessories and let the dress do all the talking. As to whether you'll be seeing me in these on my Instagram, that's for you to find out ;).

(From left to right)

Black Snakeskin Strappy Heels £24.99 Here

Stone Pointed Court Shoes £19.99 Here

Black Cut out Heel £27.99 Here

Gold Pointed Toe Court Shoes £10.00 Here

Shell Pink Platform Ankle Strap Heels £22.99 Here

I'm sorry, my taste in heels is a little safe I know. That being said, with so much glitter on the dress/outfit, I figured these plain-ish heels will go with whatever outfit you decide to put together. I'm a sucker for a good black heel and these strappy heels are so in fashion. Get the toes ready girls (and boys). Next onto my new fad of the moment, pointed heels. I like these because they're both nude and not super high for if you don't want to fully commit to heels.

These cut out little cuties are just too adorable for words and even though I already own 239420395482 pairs of black heels, I'm going shopping tomorrow and these will be joining my heel family. Again, pointy heels and by going for metalic, you can match them to any gold detailing on your clutch or outfit. Even jewelery will match making them work hard for your money. And finally, these pretty little pink darlings are just oh so girly and cute. I don't even know what they'd go with but when they're this pretty who cares?

Next, onto the all important NOTN. I'm all for glitter (no surprise there then) and think that gold is especially lovely. Here are just a few of my favourite designs on the WWW. My nails actually have shellac nail treatment on at the moment (more on that in another post) and will be painting gold glitter on the tips for my NYE outfit. What do you think of these nail designs?

Well that concludes a rather long post but hopefully one you have enjoyed. Making the most out of celebrating your year is important, no matter how bad your year has been. There is always some lesson to learn from. For me, this year I have graduated university, worked in a pub, my local COOP and gone to Fuerteventura to name a few. More personal issues have been to really begin to accept myself and grow up, leaving the irrelevant things in my past. Anywho, I'll leave my deep thoughts there as this may get a little too cheesy otherwise. What are your new years resolutions, I need some inspiration! 

Lots of love, Laura.