Olivia Burton Rose Gold Watch

Just a short and sweet one today, I'm afraid, as I'm off to London this morning to spend a few days visiting friends and soaking up the sights and sounds, as you do. Judging by the weather forecast, we would have been hard pushed to choose a worse weekend to go, as there are severe weather warnings all over London for the next few days. But hey - we'll make the best of it. I'm really looking forward to some tapas and drinks with some of my best girls, and a couple of nights in a plush hotel (you really can find some great deals if you don't mind spending hours shopping around!), and it's our anniversary over the weekend too, so we will be celebrating that. I'm taking my new camera with me in the hope that I'll manage to get lots of lovely snaps, but I'm still getting to grips with it - take this image, for example, which is not nearly as in focus as it looked on the screen itself before I uploaded it onto the computer. Sigh.

Anyway, getting to the point of this post, which is to introduce you to my favourite new accessory..

I received this beautiful rose gold Olivia Burton watch for Christmas after having pined after the entire collection for longer than I care to remember. The thing about Olivia Burton watches is that every single design is beautiful, so choosing the right one is no easy task. The one thing I was always sure of,however, is that I definitely wanted a large, rose gold face, and in the end I plumped for this one, which has a navy blue leather strap. My thinking was that this one is perfect for the current season, as I do tend to wear darker hues in the Winter. Come summertime, however, I'll probably want to change things up a bit, so it's the ideal excuse for starting a collection! I have already spotted a mint pastel strap that, when paired with the rose gold face, will pretty much make up my perfect warm weather watch, and after that? Who knows.

If you'd like to have a look at the selection of Olivia Burton watches, then ASOS have some great ones. Most are only £95, which I think is a fantastic price for such a good quality, attractive timepiece.

I'm not sure that I'll have the chance to post again before Tuesday, so until then.

Have a great weekend.

xx

Hello, 2015.

source

Happy New Year, everyone, and a big hello to 2015!

I hope you all had a fantastic festive period and were able to ring in the new year in style! Personally, I ended up having a night in for one, as many of my friends have recently had babies and the other half was working, but to be honest, it wasn't nearly as bad as you might imagine! For a start, I spent my first New Year's Day in a lonnnng time without so much of a sniff of a hangover, but I'll talk more about that later. I also had the chance to indulge in a bit of pampering and spend some time reflecting on the year gone by, as well as what I hope to achieve in this brand new year,

Last year was a great one for me for many reasons, but the main one has got to be that it was the first year in the last six that I spent here in the UK with my family and friends. You may or may not remember, depending on how often you drop by, but I spent a long period living abroad, before finally moving home in the second half of 2013.  Other highlights of the last twelve months have included travelling to Paris and Ibiza, landing a new job and watching my best friend get married, as well as celebrating my sister's graduation, accepting an FHM Award and going on a few shorter trips to the likes of Brighton, Manchester and London. 

But with 2015 now upon us, it's out with the old and in with the new, as they say, and time to make a few resolutions for the year ahead. Although they are the sort of things that tend to be broken before January draws to a close, I fully intend to follow through on my promises to myself this year, as I have been trying to get some of them done for months now, to no avail. So now it's time for a fresh start, and what better time to get motivated than on the first day of a new year? Without further ado, my new year's resolutions for 2015 are:

1. Resume blogging! 

Well, looks like we're off to a promising start on at least one of these, but this is something I have been desperate to do for some while It's not that I ever 'stopped', per se - at least, not intentionally. But with a broken computer (jammed keyboard and viruses a-plenty), there was little I could do, and without the use of a functioning camera to boot, things became difficult to say the least. I actually spent part of my evening last night installing a brand, spanking new keyboard (who needs a man to do their DIY? Smug.), and also picked myself up a new camera in the sales. So, I'm fully equipped and ready to go, and I couldn't be more thrilled! 

2. Lose a few lbs

This is one that has been attempted several times since last April, but alas, I have failed. It's not that I've got a lot to lose, but a good 10lbs had slowly crept on since moving back to the UK, and while I would normally have been able to lose it without too much trouble thanks to being a fan of healthy eating by nature, this time, it simply hasn't shifted. Within the next few days, I aim to see the nurse in order to change my pill, and also get a blood test to ensure that my thyroid is functioning properly, because it certainly seems that something is different. Either way, something needs to be done, and I'll be sure to keep you posted on my progress.

3. Add weights and yoga into to my exercise regime

That is, after upping my exercise sessions in general. I'm a member of a local gym, but I'd like to make the effort to go more consistently, as I tend to go through peaks and troughs. When I'm trying to lose weight, I go religiously, but because I wasn't getting anywhere in that department, I'd often lose my motivation and end up going less than usual for a while. I've been meaning to add in yoga for a while, as I'm quite a stressy type and am sure it would benefit me, but so far, I haven't found the time. This year, I will, and I'll also be adding more weights into my regime in order to build muscle, as this will help me to achieve my goals.

So, those are my three ongoing goals for the year, but I also plan to start (and finish!) a new course, save more money, learn some new skills, travel to Venice and Cuba and read at least two books a month.

I'll leave it there for now, but I'd love to hear about your new year's resolutions in the comments below. In the meantime, wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

xx

What I Wore

Studded Lace Top, Topshop  //  Leather Look Shorts, River Island  //  Sunglasses, Zara  //  Ring and Bracelet, Primark  //  Bag and Sandals, Brazil
(Sorry - only the sunglasses are from this year as everything I own is packed away for the move apart from a limited selection!)

Oh hey, hope everyone is having a great week so far. It's been a bit of an eventful one for us, as we moved out of our house on Monday and in with the hubby's parents for the next few days. We're off to stay with his sister and her family this weekend, and then we'll be back here for a few days before we head back to the UK. It's funny, but I didn't feel sad at all when we left our house. Packing was a nightmare, which I suppose did detract from the whole thing - imagine trying to fit the whole of two peoples' lives from the last five years into three suitcases that do not exceed 23kg each!? Not an easy task, I can assure you. To be fair, the hubby was done in a matter of minutes - it was mine that took at least a week of umming and ahhing about which clothes I could part with, and what I could do with the countless books and bags I'd have to leave behind. In the end, the clothes went to a local orphanage, the books to the language school I used to work at, and the bags to a friend. To be honest it was kind of a relief to get rid of them, as I'm looking forward to starting again in a new place, free of junk and clutter. I say that now, but we all know I'll have it full to bursting again before soon.
We haven't got much planned for the next couple of days, as the in-laws are homebodies and like to stay in most of the time. We'll probably be visiting some other family members though (fun fact: the hubby's mother is one of eighteen brothers and sister, while his dad is one of twelve. Can you imagine how many cousins that means!? Not to mention how many years his poor grandmothers had to spend pregnant....), as most of them live in the same town. We're hoping to go to the beach on Saturday with the sister-in-law, her husband and children, so that should be nice - if there's one thing I will miss about this place then it's the sun, although I can assure you that when you live somewhere where it's pushing forty degrees the majority of the time, you do get quite sick of it, just as you do with constant rain and snow! The sun loses its novelty before long, and there actually comes a point where you wish for it to cloud over, just to get a break. If you're on holiday then it's great, but not so much if you have to work.
I'll probably miss my hammock too - I loved lying in it with a good book as the sun was beginning to go down at the weekends, as at that point it was fairly cool and breezy in the winter (hotter than a British summer).
More than anything though, I'm looking forward to getting back to living life in my own language! And being close to my family and friends again, of course, but that goes without saying.
I'll probably pop a slightly more reflective post on my time here up either just before I go or once I'm home, as I think it's something worth addressing. It's changed me in so many ways, and it's been a real learning curve in more ways than I could possibly explain.
For now I'll leave you with my moving day outfit - not very practical, but as I say, our life is now inside three suitcases so there wasn't much to do in the way of heavy lifting!

Hope everyone is having a great week so far.

xx

What I Wore

Shorts, Miss Selfridge  //  Lace-sleeved top, Topshop  //  Clutch, Primark(old)  //  Sandals, bought in Brazil  //  Bracelet, Ebay

Oh hii, thought I'd pop up a bit of an outfit post today. This is photographic evidence of my new peach studded Miss Selfridge shorts' first outing, paired with a white lace-sleeved top from Topshop. I must admit, in retrospect  I'm not all that keen on this combo as I've since found that the shorts look a whole lot better against black, and accessorised with some golden goodness. Not too much though, as I think the stud detailing speaks for itself, and along with the studded sandals there's already a fair bit going on. You'll probably see what I mean soon enough anyway, as it's bound to pop up in another outfit post. Faux pas wearing the same shorts twice in OOTD posts? Oh well, I'm sure we'll all get over it. 

Hooray for it being Friday tomorrow! I don't know about you, but for me today is always the busiest day of the week. As I've mentioned before though, I do get Fridays off, so it's not all bad!

Last night was the hubby's night off from work, and I finish earlier on Wednesdays too, so we decided to have a bit of a film and foodfest at home in the evening. I whipped us up some homemade spicy chicken tacos with guacamole, followed by banana pancakes, as we had a ton of leftover bananas that needed using up quickly (any excuse!). Needless to say, we pretty much ate ourselves into food comas and collapsed in front of The Lovely Bones - a film I have put off watching for the longest time because it's one of my favourite books, and for me, the film adaptations don't usually make the cut. I have to say though, they did a pretty good job with this one, so there was no shouting at the TV as there was when I watched One Day or The Time Traveller's Wife (don't even get me started!). Anyway, it was quite nice to be a bit naughty and treat ourselves food-wise, as we are both healthy eaters the majority of the time. Saying that, I do have a bit of a tough time saying no to chocolate, but don't we all!? ;-)

Hope you all have a lovely end to the week!

xx

Collective Fashion Haul // A Video

Please excuse what a state I look in this video, I'd just got home and found myself alone in the house during daylight hours, so I had to make the most and film in a very short window of time! It also turns out that Revlon Photoready foundation is not actually all that photo ready, as it makes me look SO shiny on camera! I did notice this before with another couple of videos, and made a mental note not to wear it when filming again, but as I said, I was in a bit of a rush this time and didn't think of it!

I won't be doing a post on this haul as I just find clothing a real pain to photograph in all its glory. However you will, I'm sure, be seeing these pieces in upcoming OOTD/outfit posts, so keep an eye out for those.

Until then, I hope you enjoy having a little nose into the contents of my (new) wardrobe, and if you do enjoy this video then please do pop over to my Youtube channel and give it a thumbs up and subscribe. I must admit, I'm feeling a bit disheartened again, as while I know it does take time to build up an audience, and I do make these videos for enjoyment more than anything else as a bit of a side project as well as to compliment my blog, my views have really decreased since I started out with filming, and I'm not really sure why! If anything, I would have thought it would be the opposite, but oh well, such is life.

Anyway, hope everyone has had a good Monday! If you have a Youtube channel then do leave me your link in the comments below, I'm always on the lookout for new ones to have a watch as I seem to get through my feed so fast!

xx

Weekend Wishlist

Monochrome Playsuit, Topshop  //  Ren Satin Perfection BB Cream, Space NK  //  Rose Gold Statement Necklace, Miss Selfridge  //  Kevyn Aucoin Liquid Airbrush Foundation, Space NK  //  Elemental Herbology Perfect Clarity Blemish Minimiser, Feel Unique  //  Embellished Heels, Miss Selfridge  //  Striped Crop Top, Topshop  // Cocktail Ring, Miss Selfridge

Hi everyone, hope you're all having a nice relaxing weekend and making the most of the sunshine!
I'm feeling pretty content at the moment when it comes to beauty, clothes and accessories, as I acquired quite a lot throughout the month of April and got everything I needed, and lots of things I wanted, too. But, as usual, I'd be lying if I said that nothing had caught my eye over the past week, so while this wish list might be a bit more modest than usual, it's still there!
Beauty-wise, I'm still suffering from the dreaded hormonal blemishes on my chin, so I'm looking for something to help me zap them in their tracks. What most appeals is the Elemental Herbology Perfect Clarity Blemish Minimiser - a product that had somehow escaped my notice during previous perusals of their website until I had another nosey earlier this week.
Another product I'm eager to get my hands on is the new Ren Satin Perfection BB Cream, something I've been waiting for for ages. Now, I'm not really a fan of BB creams in general, and have found every one I've tried so far something of a let-down, but this being Ren, I've just got a feeling that they will have done a good job.
I've been on the look-out for a new foundation, as while I'd usually be cracking out the tinted moisturisers at this time of year, my skin is really in no position to be going minimal at the moment, and is need of better coverage. I'm a bit tired of my current options - Revlon Photoready is nice, but I've recently began to notice how oily it makes me look when filming videos, and with my t-zone being a bit less controlable then it was previously, I'm thinking I might need to go for something a bit less illuminating and a bit more matte - not something that really appeals, but you've got to do what you've got to do. I'm mostly using the Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid at the moment, which is a nice mid-ground between a tinted moisturiser and a foundation, but I'd like to have another option on hand for those days  when it's just not enough, so the Kevyn Aucoin Liquid Airbrush foundation sounds just perfect.
Fashion-wise, Miss Selfridge have just unveiled their new collection of limited-edition jewellery, and I have to say, they've got some truly gorgeous pieces in. I also fell in love with a pair of their embellished heels, a monochrome playsuit from Topshop and a little striped crop top, too.

What's on your wish list this week?

xx

What I Wore

    Leather-Look Shorts, River Island  //  China-Print Shirt, New Look  //  Leopard Print Boots, Ebay  //  Statement Necklace, New Look  //  Chunky Pyramid Stud Bracelet, Ebay  //  Sunglasses, Zara  //  Tan Studded Clutch, Primark (old)

Hello lovelies, I'm posting a bit later in the day than usual, but that's down to not having taken any snaps of this outfit in advance as I really did wear it today. I've also popped up two sets of photos, basically because I couldn't decide which one to go for!

It's still nice and sunny here, so I went with my trusty leather-look shorts from River Island and teamed them with my new china-print shirt and statement necklace, both from New Look. On my feet, I'm wearing some suede black and leopard-print ankle boots, and I've finished the look with a pair of Zara sunglasses and a Primark clutch, which is actually pretty old but is still going strong! Nail-wise, I chose this pretty pastel green, which is called Talisman, from a Brazilian brand called Ellen Gold. Unfortunately you can't get these in the UK, but this one is a really similar shade to Essie Mint Candy Apple, but I'd say it's definitely brighter and slightly less milky.

Today I've been busy running errands with the hubby - just boring stuff like paying bills etc. - and we spent the afternoon reading our books at our local coffee shop, which is always a nice way to wind down on a Friday. I'm currently reading The Age of Miracles, by Karen Thompson Walker, and I'd love to know if any of you have read it and what your thoughts were.

I've also been busy taking photos for up-coming posts, and this evening my plan is to catch up with a couple of people on Skype, burn my new Spring Yankee Candle, in Peach Orchard, and as is customary on a Friday night, do a spot of pampering. I am loving several face masks at the moment, and finding them really effective, so I've been looking forward to it even more than usual.

I do have a few more bits to chat to you about from this week, but I'll save them for my Sunday Catch-Up post, otherwise I'll have nothing left to say!

Hope everyone's had a good week and that there's a fantastic weekend ahead for us all!

xx

What I Wore: OOTN

Monochrome shirt and Coral Sandals, bought in Brazil  -  Faux Leather Shorts, River Island  -  Gold Collar Necklace and Pyramid Stud Bracelet, Ebay  

(Please do excuse my extreme case of red-eye and the rubbish hotel room door backdrop! I was exhausted after a day of travelling and shopping.)

Happy Easter my lovelies, I'm sure you're all as glad as I am to have Friday off this week! Saying that, I'm always off on Fridays, but never mind!

On Tuesday, it was the hubby's birthday, so we went out to Outback for dinner (Spicy Shrimp Dip and Ribs on the Barbie, if you're wondering), followed by a few cocktails at a couple of bars afterwards. We used to be quite the party animals, but haven't really drunk much over the past year or so, meaning it didn't take much! I'll be posting a few pictures of our evening out on Sunday when I round up the week, and you can also keep up with me on Instagram (@melotw - button in the sidebar).

I picked up this monochrome shirt a couple of weeks ago and have been waiting for the opportunity to wear it ever since. I really like the fact that it's quite slouchy and loose, which makes it perfect for a night of eating and drinking! It's also got kind of batwing sleeves which are slit at the shoulder, and doesn't have the standard shirt collar you might expect, which I think makes it quite a unique piece that I can see myself reaching for again and again over the coming months. The good thing about monochrome is that it goes with everything. To finish the outfit, I popped on a pair of coral heeled sandals, a gold collar necklace and a pop of colour on my lips in the form of Mac Impassioned. I went for a muted peachy-nudey-pink (Impala Rosa Candy) shade on my nails, which isn't something I'd usually go for but actually, I've found myself really liking it. It's the perfect low-maintenance shade, as any chips or nicks are almost un-noticeable, and I'm sure I'll be reaching for it on those days where I'm lacking inspiration and just want something smart and understated to get me through the week.

I'm not up to much this weekend - just planning on having a nice relaxing one and catching up on some blogging.

Hope everyone has a lovely Easter.

xx

What I Wore

Crop Top, Topshop  -  Shorts, River Island  -  Bag and Shoes, Brazil  - Sunglasses, H & M

I'm sorry for posting a sunshine outfit. Don't hate me.

 Having seen everyone's photos on Instagram, I gather that Spring has not exactly sprung back home, with lots of you experiencing a complete white-out yet again. It's getting a bit ridiculous, isn't it? Nearly April, and yet still behaving like the middle of Winter. I hope it eases up soon!

I have to admit, this outfit shot was actually taken last week, before I had my hair cut, but I wanted to save it as I usually post my outfits on Fridays.

Today we are going to explore the new shopping mall which has opened here. It's kind of a big thing, as the town where we are currently based is a bit behind the times, to say the least. Not just because this is a developing country though - if you go to a main city such as Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo then you'll find that you've got plenty of options. But here, things are, and have always been, very limited, making it difficult to lay hands on anything from outside. 

So as you can imagine, being the shopping fanatic that I am I'm quite excited to go and see what's occurring, though I'll have to keep my purse firmly closed, as I'm saving up at the moment. Hopefully a sneaky bit of sushi for lunch and then a coffee in the coffee shop will keep me satisfied!

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

xx

What I Wore

Cullottes, Miss Selfridge  -  Monochrome colour block top, Primark  -  Bracelet, Ebay  -  Sandals, Brazil

Ok, I'm quite sure you're bored of seeing these sandals by now, but I'm not bored of wearing them yet. They are the comfiest pair of shoes I've ever owned, and they go with absolutely everything!

Today, we have just been for a bit of a wander round the shops in town, and had lunch, which in my case was a big chicken and avocado salad - yum! Sadly, I forgot to take a photo of it, which is a shame as I know how you all like to see pictures of food ;) Me too, actually. This afternoon, we're just going to chill out and do a bit of reading and coffee drinking in a coffee shop nearby, which seems to be a bit of a ritual of ours when we are both off work and there's nothing else to do. There's something so nice about sitting quietly, each engrossed in something different, but still together. 

I'm wearing Mac Vegas Volt today, which is by far my favourite lipstick for the warmer months, and I had been looking forward to cracking it open again this year! Now that I have, you can be certain you'll be seeing it on my lips a fair bit. The formula is lovely and moisturising, and doesn't feel heavy at all, which is a huge bonus for when the temperature heats up.

This evening is very much reserved for pampering and blogging, and catching up on the week's Youtube videos, and I can't wait to get all settled and cosy and lose myself in some of this week's posts on my Bloglovin' feed.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

xx

Friday Favourites

Ahhh, late again with my Friday Favourites! Sorry about that, it seems that as soon as I decided to start doing the series, I suddenly found myself with loads to do on Fridays, and actually, coming towards the end of the week, I have been feeling a bit under the weather too, so that hasn't helped. Just a bit of a cold, but they can make you feel pretty rubbish, can't they?

Anyway, onwards.

This week's Friday Favourites is based upon my favourite finds from the 'New in' sections of the high-street stores' websites. Being the turn of the season, and that time when the shops are jam-packed full of gorgeous, colourful spring/summer attire, there was an absolute shed-load of things that I could have put on here, but I did try to restrain myself and keep calm! I am absolutely adoring all the gorgeous pale pastels and bold tropical prints in stores at the moment, not to mention all the different pieces printed with various little animals, which are just so cute and I could buy them all!

Pleated Scallop Crop Shell Top

£28, Topshop

Folly Metal Chiffon Sandals

£50, Topshop

Skull Wrap Ring

£6.50, Topshop

Lemon Broderie Tie Shirt

£29, Miss Selfridge

Tropical Print Shorts

£40, Oasis

Luminescent Floral Bikini Top

£14, Oasis

Balinese Border Print Maxi Dress

£55. Warehouse

Bonbon Birdie Clutch

£35, Accessorize

Capri Statement Ring

£15, Accessorize

Pearly Tweet Twoo Owl Brooch

£5, Accessorize

Pineapple Fabric Fan

£4.50, Accessorize

My favourite finds have to be the lemon broderie shirt and the bird-print clutch. I've already got the same shirt in white and it is so gorgeous and summery. It looks amazing with the coral crepe shorts featured in last week's Friday Favourites, and with a tan the whole ensemble will look even better.

Sadly, the sandals will probably stay on my favourites list but never be bought,  because despite the fact that I am constantly falling in love with flat shoes and sandals, I never actually buy them, because I know from past experience that I won't wear them! I'm small, and I feel that flats 'cut  off 'my legs and make me look even shorter, so if I do put a pair on, I ALWAYS end up taking them off at the last minute in favour of heels! I feel so much more in proportion with them on.

I am a huge fan of statement jewellery and am always on the lookout for chunky cocktail rings. If they so happen to be animal/insect inspired, then that's even better! Accessorize really do have a gorgeous selection in at the moment, which is no surprise. Every time I go in that shop, there's trouble!! I always see so many things that I want to buy, but I always feel that I have to keep myself under control because there are often cheaper alternatives elsewhere. If, like me, you get bored easily, then it's a good idea to stock up on loads of cheaper bits (charity shops, Primark, H&M...) rather than one or two expensive pieces, or at least, I find this to be the case. But it's definitely nice to sometimes treat myself to some things of higher quality I know will last.

That said, some of the gems you can find in charity shops and at boot sales are amazingly good value and last forever!

Which pieces from the 'New in' sections are you going to be treating yourselves to/admiring from afar this spring/summer?

What is your favourite spring trend?

xx

Friday Favourites

I know, I know, it's Saturday! Sorry to be posting this a day late, but things have been really hectic what with Easter and family visiting! Hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend!

The aim of Friday Favourites is to share, unsurprisingly, a few of my favourite beauty products and fashion items of the moment, so here goes.

MAC Amplified Creme lipstick in Vegas Volt, £13.50

I absolutely love this lipstick and just cannot stop wearing it at the moment! It's a gorgeous, creamy orange-coral and is another great shade for spring/summer. It's buildable, so you can achieve a gorgeous opaque finish, or you can apply a light layer and rub it in to your lips for a more subtle stain.

Love it!

Miss Selfridge Petites floral print playsuit, £37

My favourite Spring purchase so far, this playsuit is a really flattering cut, and I was thrilled to find it in the petites section as I'm a shortie. I usually find it hard to find dresses and playsuits in the right length for me, and most shops only have a very limited selection of items in their Petites range. I love the pastel colours of this one and will be wearing it dressed down with sandals and a skinny tan belt on hot summer days, and styling it up with a cropped blazer, heels and gold jewellery for nights out. If you want to see how I'm wearing it, I will be doing an OOTD post on it by the end of next week (camera permitting. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am currently having some issues with mine).

Miss Sporty Lasting Colour nail varnish in Red Tango,  £1.99, Superdrug

I didn't expect much of this cheap and cheerful nail varnish when I picked it up, at least not in terms of quality, but the bright, zingy colour was irresistible. Can you tell by now that I have a bit of a thing for orange-corals!?

Actually, these little polishes come with a graduated-tip brush, and the curved shape makes it extremely easy to paint your nails. Two coats and you are good to go.

I am also loving the gorgeous, shimmery pastel green shade (second from left), but sadly I don't know the name as it doesn't say on the bottle, and I can't find it anywhere online.

I really like the Miss Sporty colours, but I will say that they are not the most long-wearing of polishes, so are best for a quick fix.

Coral Crepe Shorts, £29, Miss Selfridge

Ok, I think my obsession with coral might be getting slightly out of hand! I didn't actually realise, until I started writing this post, that I had a running theme on the go!

But anyway, I recently picked up these shorts and they are a godsend for holidays as the material is really thin (yet not transparent, so don't worry about VPL!) and floaty, and airy. They are great with a plain white vest, and sandals for a casual daytime look. Day and night outfits post coming soon.

So that's it for the first installment of Friday Favourites! I hope you've enjoyed seeing what I'm loving at the moment.

Do you own, or have you at some point tried any of the items above? 

What did you think of them?

What are your current favourites?

xx

Youtube Hauls

I've been watching loads of  'haul' videos on youtube this evening.
For those of you who don't know, a 'haul' video is where someone gets together everything they have recently bought, and sort of show and review them, so that those watching can either go and get themselves the same bit, or just enjoy having an insight into someone else's style.
 At first, I didn't get why people would make them, because if you want to see what's available in a shop without leaving your house then, generally speaking, you can just have a look on the website. But after watching a few hauls which were, well, not really to my taste, I did come across a couple of girls who have really similar taste to mine, but what I really loved about their videos was that they had picked things which, although in my 'style zone', I perhaps wouldn't have thought of picking out myself. It's a really great way to get some fashion inspiration, and see how other people style up pieces that you like, and also how to add pieces you might not have thought of to your wardrobe.
A lot of girls also do videos showcasing their beauty hauls, which is, again, a really interesting viewing experience - perhaps more so. I don't know about you, but I always find myself looking at friends, and just randomers in the street or the pub, who seem to have perfect skin, or who are sporting perfectly shaded eye-shadow, and wondering how on earth they did it. My elaborate  make-up attempts never seem to come out anywhere near as well, and I also find that, even when you think you've found the perfect foundation, the miracle effect never seems to last longer than a week, and then I find myself lusting after a better one!
So even though these haul vids aren't exactly make-up master classes, it's good to know the products that these people use, so we can see them in action and give them a whirl ourselves.

What are your Christmas beauty lust-haves? Do you have a special look planned for the big day?

The pictures above are of some of the more impressive finds amongst Primark haulers, and are actually from www.fluttersparkle.com . If you are interested in seeing the rest of her haul then go to http://www.flutterandsparkle.com/2011/12/another-primark-haul-november-december.html
Leopard print Peter Pan shirt, £7. Embellished crop vest, £10

For some good haul vids, I'd recommend visiting Zoella's channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/zoella280390?feature=watch - my favourite haul vids so far.

Current Lusts: River Island

This pretty, embellished collar is just brilliant for winter, as it dresses up just about any plain old top. It would look good on a long-sleeved black top, but personally, I'd wear it with a plain, sheer, cream blouse because I love the contrast effect.  But I do think this particular collar is pretty expensive at £22, considering it is JUST a collar, so I'll be looking for cheaper versions in Primark and H&M.



Next is this cream beaded Peter Pan collar top, which I think is just adorable! It's a versatile colour and will go with anything, so I'll definitely be adding this one to my basket next time I'm in River Island. LOVE it.



I LOVE this monochrome swing blouse, especially the sheer fabric. This'll go with long-length legging and flats, skinnies and boots and just about anything else. £25



This navy lace playsuit is so cute, although I must admit, I'm not loving the buttons. I would take those off and replace them with some little pearly ones and wear this with tights and lace-up shoe boots. Again, though, it's .

This navy lace playsuit is so cute, although I must admit, I'm not loving the buttons. I would take those off and replace them with some little pearly ones and wear this with tights and lace-up shoe boots. I'd also replace the belt it comes with with a tan one. Again, though, it's a llittle steep at £45.


I adore this colour block bag, especially it's leopard print strap. It's perfect for giving a pop of colour on those dull wintery days and would be sure to cheer me up. £30



This is the ideal winter warmer, but is way over-priced at £50, in my opinion. I know for a fact I can find something similar in Primark or Peacocks. I don't mean to sound like a cheap skate (!) but I am constantly changing my mind about what I want, or at least what I want to wear! So to spend £50 would be a mistake - I'd rather buy three different ones for the same price and have some options, as I know I'd get bored of wearing the same cardigan all the time. That already tends to happen in winter, as whatever I wear invariably ends up being covered up with a coat due to the cold.



These are both gorgeous. I love the print on the first one, and the contrasting piped pockets on both. The coral one would also look amazing with sandals in the summer. £40 each..

River Island is another shop that seems to have improved loads within the last few years. Whenever I used to go in there, I'd leave empty handed, unless I was buying shoes (they've always had a great shoe section). I don't know what it was about the clothes, but I just remember them always having stuff with those tacky, stick on rhinestone gems on, or badly cut jeans and pink army print....and no, it wasn't the fashion at the time. Thumbs up though, their makeover has been a great success.

I've just realised that instead of doing my Christmas present shopping, I have been doing......this.  Compiling a list of what I want....whoops. I'm not selfish really, I promise you, and I do have a day of present shopping penciled in soon! I just adore clothes too much, and as I said, I've been away for a while, so my wardrobe needs replenishing!

Dear Santa.....

Now, I don't usually shop at Dorothy Perkins, but I have to say, I am ridiculously in lust with this sequined Peter Pan collar blouse. It's absolutely gorgeous, and would look great this winter with black, high-waisted shorts, black tights and wedge shoe boots during the day, and can also be easily dressed up for night, thanks to the sequin detail. I'd wear it with a pair of black star foil skinnies from Topshop, and some seventies tan, knee-high boots for casual drinks with friends, or go a bit more glam with a high-waisted skirt and chunky, colour-block heels, with a faux fur gilet slung on over the top for extra warmth.

I'm also a little bit in love with a couple of other marvellous finds from Dotty P's, those being this lovely cream batwing jumper, which looks perfect for winter layering, and this dalmatian-print blouse.

I'm a little bit obsessed with blouses at the moment, mainly because I think they give a chic, elegant edge to any outfit, even when paired with slouchy hareems or, again, tucked into high waisted shorts, with a slouch cardigan thrown on over the top.

Actually, I should explain that I have been living abroad for a little while, so that means that I am absolutely raring to get to the shops when I arrive back in England a few days before Christmas. My winter wardrobe is severely lacking at present, and I just cannot wait to fill it up with some gorgeous sheer fabrics, chunky knits and LOTS of new shoes, boots and shoe-boots.  I do hope Santa is feeling generous this year though, because my bank balance is, well...not. As much as I love the sun, I have really missed layering and being able to go mad on accessories. When it's this hot (currently 34 degrees), you just want to be wearing as little as possible, and even then it feels like too much. When I first arrived here, I defiantly soldiered on, continuing to accessorise with waist belts, bracelets....you name it. In fact, I was really stubborn, and refused to let the weather compromise my style! Some time later though, I did have to give in slightly and embrace a more simplistic, 'less is more' way of dressing to get me through those unbearably hot days. But even in these situations, we can still find a way to 'own'whatever outfit we are wearing!