October Favourites

I think Favourite's posts and videos are one of my favourites to read/watch especially with the change in season, I love to be a bit nosey and see what people have been loving that's new recently! Here's a few of mine from October...

• MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick - In theory I have a lot of similar products and always seem to lean towards nude lipsticks however recently this is all I've been reaching for. The formula for a Matte is still quite moisturising and I've just found it the perfect everyday colour that's so easy to wear!
• Benefit Rockateur Blush - A little rediscovery for me recently and I think possibly my all time favourite blush! I purchased this about 2 years ago and keep going back to it. I love the natural glow it gives and how it can be built up!
• Topshop Loafers - Shoes are one of my many weaknesses and these were something a bit different for me but I absolutely love them! They're just a bit smarter for everyday wear but also a nice alternative if I don't want to wear heels on an evening out!
• Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer - Once again I was probably a bit late to the party with this one and can now see why people really like it! It definitely helps cover my extreme dark circles and I even used it on it's own dotted around my whole face the other day and it actually worked pretty well!
• Tresemme Deep Cleansing Shampoo - A bit of an odd one for a favourites but I thought I would just mention how good this was! My hair was getting quite clogged up from volumising shampoo's and various other products recently and I was struggling with product build up, but within 1 wash this had completely cleared it and I just use it twice a week now to keep my hair soft and shiny. It's so reasonable too!

What have you been loving this month?

Ted and Muffy AW15 Launch

A couple of weeks ago I was very lucky to be invited to Ted&Muffy's blogger soiree to celebrate their new footwear label launch! I'm a bit of a self confessed shoe addict so of course this was a perfect evening for me, full of gorgeous boots and accessories whilst sipping on a glass of fizzy!

Ted&Muffy are boutique boot designers that create both shoes and boots in an array of calf and width fittings to a beautiful quality. They have everything from classic brogue styles, to ankle boots, to some of the best over the knee boots I've ever seen! (If only I wasn't so short!) Their newly refurbished store is also beautiful, this is now the inspiration for my house when I move out next year!

The lovely ladies who organised and ran the event helped each blogger find their perfect pair of boots. After much debate and consideration (I had my eye on several pairs and just couldn't decide!) I went for the 'Wonder' boots in black leather and I absolutely love these!

They fit my feet like a dream and are so comfortable. The heel is just perfect for everyday and the leather so durable. They also dip down slightly at the front so are extremely flattering for a girl like me with such short, stumpy legs! I'm pretty sure these will be my staple this year, now I want even more boots!

My Autumn Wardrobe Needs!

Autumn is probably my favourite time of the year for fashion! I love chunky jumpers and cosy tights and the rich colours. This year I've also been trying to slowly build myself a sort of capsule wardrobe, making sure as each season goes that I'm picking up key pieces that will last me.

So this Autumn I took a little dig through and came up with a little list of things missing from my Autumn Wardrobe that I think are sure staples!

Denim Cord Skirt
Camel Coloured Button Down Skirt

Burgundy Blouse

Heeled Ankle Boots

Boyfriend Coat

Khaki Jeans

What are your staples for Autumn?

September Favourites

These past couple of months my daily routine has changed enormously and week to week I seem to just run through the days without even realising. So this month and last month I've ended up with a few staple favourites that have really stood out!

• Benefit 'Rollerlash' Mascara - I actually got a sample of this as I can have a bad reaction to mascaras but really wanted to try it out and will definitely be picking up the full size, I don't think I've ever loved a mascara as much as this one!
• MAC 'Brave' Lipstick - This wasn't a colour I ever thought I'd like as much as I do as I normally just go for nude lipsticks, but I actually love the subtle pink tone to this! It really brightens up any natural look, especially on busy days
• Nike Trainers - I've never actually owned a pair of trainers before except for working out, but when shopping in an outlet mall a few months ago I fell in love with these. They're so comfortable and slowly I'm converting to wearing them with casual outfits.
• Clarins Instant Concealer - I was a bit late to the party trying this one but I can now see what they hype is about! This has helped to cover my massive dark under eye circles that aren't letting up at the moment, I think I may need to invest in a corrector as well to really tackle them though!
• Blistex Lip Moisturiser - This has been an absolute saviour product recently! I always struggle with dry skin and these past few months my lips have been so cracked and dry and bleeding no matter how much lip salve I use! So I picked this up on a whim and it's been so good, I only use it morning and night but already my lips are feeling softer and a lot less sore!

What have you been loving this month?

Autumn Wishlist 2015

So summer has pretty much been and gone in the blink of an eye for us in England and to be quite honest I've been wishing Autumn to arrive. The past few weeks it's gotten colder and the weather's gotten more dreary and I've been looking forward to wrapping up in my comfy jumpers and staying in on an evening watching films. So I thought, what better time than to put together my Autumn Wishlist!

• The Perfect Bronze Eyeshadow - Something that I most likely have in every wishlist, however the search continues for the perfect bronzed shade. I'm due in London a few times this month and next so I'm hoping to pop to Selfridges and have a scour of the Charlotte Tilbury counter for this beauty
• Lace Up Flats - These have become quite a trend this summer and I think they're so chic! Definitely something that can dress up any outfit!
• Copper Jewellery - I love the copper/rose gold tones for jewellery and I think it compliments the autumn pallets perfectly!
• Chunky Knit's - I mean, you can never have enough comfy jumpers!
• Brown Satchel Bag - Probably another thing that's in every one of my wish lists, I'm still searching for the perfect one though!
• Button Down A-Line Skirt - I also love this trend that has come into AW15 and think the A-Line shape is so flattering. I've had my eye on this one from Miss Selfridge for ages and love the colour for Autumn
• Light Trench Coat - Being 5ft tall I always have trouble finding a good length trench coat, however they are the perfect light layer for getting into Autumn before the colder times set in!

What's on your Autumn Wishlist?

April Favourites 2015

This month, I seem to have gotten into a bit of a routine with my make up and hair, but there have been some stand out products that I've really loved coming into spring!

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer - I know I'm probably late to the band-waggon with these ones but for the life of me I don't know what I did before I had this in my life! I love this for under the eye and especially as a highlighter on the tops of my cheeks. I've even used it dotted over my skin and blended as a quick fix make up, it just works for everything, I don't know what I did before!

Charles Worthington Volume and Bounce Texturising Spray - Despite having really thick hair, I do love a good volumising spray! I find my hair is so much heavier at the bottom than my roots, so this really helps to even it out and I find is a must if I'm putting my hair up into a bun

New Look 'Cold Shoulder' Top - Seeing as the weather in the UK has been so lovely, I've been able to make great use of this top. I love the plain style but the extra little something with the open shoulders. I've already ordered another colour!

Make Up Revolution Baked Bronzer in 'Golden Days' - To go with the sunny weather I've been loving the summery 'glowing skin' look and think I'm now obsessed with baked products. I love the natural and radiant finish this gives

What have you been loving this month?

The Knitted Dress

Big cosy jumpers, cardigans and huge scarves that you can wrap around your neck multiple times are one of my favourite things about Winter! I get so excited that I can now layer up and love the fashion that is around this time of year, with the chunky knits and darker colours.

(I had to take this picture from the New Look website as my camera deleted mine, hopefully I'll have one on my Instagram soon!)

Recently when shopping, I stumbled across this little knitted dress from New Look. It's not something I would normally go for as it does have a slightly odd 'A-lineish' shape that I worry would stick to my hips, but I just fell in love with it. I think knitted dresses are so cute and a really nice thing to have in your wardrobe this time of year when you want to dress up a bit but still want to layer up!

I wear this with really thick tights and either flat ankle boots, or heels depending on where I'm going. I always add a scarf as well (I don't think I even go out without a scarf on in the winter) and if I really need an extra layer then I pop on a big chunky cardigan.

I just wish they did this in more colours! Undoubtedly I'd have to buy them all!

Let me know if you see any other knitted dresses you like this year!

Winter Wish List

I really enjoyed making my Autumn wish lists (linked here and here) and looking back to see what I have actually got or what I'm carrying over. So I thought I would do one for Winter as well! Even thought the weather hasn't changed as much as it does from Summer to Autumn, I still find that with it getting a lot colder I need to change both my beauty/skincare routine and my wardrobe. Here's just a few things I'm going to be looking out for this Winter...

(Going clockwise from top left)

1. Knee high boots
 I've become slightly shoe obsessed in previous months and have decided the next thing I'd like which I don't have in my collection are a pair of knee high boots. These ones are from Duo and I've been eyeing them up for ages now (possibly a early Christmas present for myself? I wish!)

2. MAC 'Ruby Woo' Lipstick
I've seen so many people raving about this one lately saying that it's a staple item and I definitely think I've been convinced! Such a perfect colour for this time of year and possibly the perfect red shade!

3. The 'Boyfriend' Coat
 I absolutely love this style of coat and think it looks so chic but really easy to wear! I've been looking for one all last season but can't get one that isn't too long/doesn't look like I'm wearing my Dad's coat so I'll definitely be on the hunt for one like this!

4. New Look Tartan Reversible Scarf 
New Look have brought out a few colours of these scarves and I honestly can't decide which one is my favourite! I love that you can almost get two scarves out of one or wrap it round and get the different sides together!

5. Una Brennan Superfacialist 'Salicylic Acid Anti Blemish Pore Purifying Clay Mask'
 I've been meaning to try this out for ages and have been really been getting into using face masks more as a little pamper session in the evenings. I love the idea that this hopefully absorbs oil and helps with blemishes!

6. Body Shop 'Glazed Apple' Collection
I think this is a limited edition scent for Christmas and I'm really hoping they bring it in to their full range! It's such a fresh scent (I almost want to eat it!) and I'm going to try and stock up before it leaves stores!

7. Elegant Touch Press On Nails 
I've been trying out a set of these nails recently and am really impressed! The current pair I'm wearing have only been on for a couple of days but they're really comfortable and didn't take me too long to apply seeing as I normally get someone else to do them. I love the glitter and Christmas versions they have out though and will definitely be picking some up for parties this time of year!

What's on your wish list at the moment?

Marks and Spencer Christmas Event

This past Wednesday, I had the pleasure of being invited along to The Mall Cribbs Causeway's Marks and Spencer store for their first Christmas Blogger Event. They had transformed their Espresso bar into a 'Winter Wonderland' showcasing some of their best pieces for this season, along with lots of lovely nibbles, a beautiful Christmas tree and nail bar!

They had some beautiful rails out, full of this seasons must haves and faves! I spotted a few items which I will definitely be popping in to look at more for Christmas parties including gorgeous skirts, blouses and a coat which I may just have my eye on now! Their Christmas jumpers were also probably the best I have seen this year, along with their hats and scarves which I will definitely be donning this Christmas season! 

I had already been eyeing up the Marks and Spencer Christmas gift sets this year, especially the beauty ones! The boxes for most of their sets is a beautiful rose gold colour, perfect as a bit of a luxury present! They have some brilliant gifts as well that are more non-beauty prezzies that are well worth checking out!

Marks and Spencer also have some really great brands in the beauty department including Ren and Diego Dalla Palma; brands which I don't really see around much and am very excited to try out! I was also lucky enough to be given a few mini goodies from these brands which I most definitely will be trying out and letting you know how I get on with them! 

Unfortunately, I had to pop off slightly early, but I would really like to thank the great team that organised this lovely event for inviting me! I'll definitely be looking forward to if they have another one next year!

October Favourites

I honestly have no idea where this past month has gone! It feels like just yesterday we weren't starting back the college year and now it's only 8 weeks till Christmas (not that I'm counting or anything...although, maybe I am). With the Autumn Season coming to a high and the colder weather coming in, I've changed up my routine slightly this month and been trying out some new bits. These are just a few things I've been loving this month (including a non 'beauty' fave)!

Urban Decay Naked Palette - I got this for Christmas last year and seemed to use only this for months. Then Summer came and with the exception of a little soirée with 'Half Baked' I didn't seem to be reaching for it all that much. This month though, I've regained my love for this beautiful palette, particularly loving using 'Smog' and 'Buck' at the moment!

Soap and Glory Sexy Motherpucker Gloss Stick in 'Plum Jam' - With last months mention of this lipstick in 'Nudist' I sparked my own interest to pick them all out again and remember what great colours they are for Autumn, particularly this one! I just pat this in my lips day to day, or build it up for a little more colour and more of a dramatic look!

Burgundy Top - I purchased this top from New Look a few weeks back now and have just got so much wear out of it! It's great as a 'day to night' piece that I wear for any occasion, dressing it up with heels and black jeans or blue jeans and boots for the day. I love this colour for Autumn as well!

The Righteous Butter Body Lotion - I'm a huge lover of all Soap and Glory products, I've never found anything I didn't like really and don't think I ever will. I've always used their body butters, but wanted to try this one seeing as it was a lotion so hopefully quicker to use (which it was) and liked that it had a pump rather than a tub. Definitely will be repurchasing this one!

The Maze Runner Trilogy - I started reading these books when I went on holiday late September and have just been hooked! I'm just starting the third one now but wanted to finish the first one before seeing the film and cannot put them down! They're packed with action but a great mysterious back story which you find bits out about throughout. I both can't wait to finish this and also don't want to at the same time!

What have you been loving this month?

Love Hope xxx

Bit of a Collective Haul

Recently (well in the past month or so..) I seem to have been doing a bit of shopping. Where I have been so busy though, I completely forgot about some things and yesterday whilst tidying up got all excited to see what I've got again, so I thought I'd show you too!

These aren't bits I bought altogether, there was a student event in Cabot Circus near me that had some great discounts and I also did save up to visit Cardiff this week as it's one of my favourite places to do a shopping spree!

Grey Dress - I got this from New Look in Cardiff and absolutely fell in love, I love knitted dresses and this one was just what I was looking for! It's a skater shape and really soft. It's not too thick but this would be the sort of this I would layer anyway!

Burgundy Converse - I actually got these in the Sale from Office at such a great price I couldn't resist! I already have this style in the white colour and when I saw these were the last pair in my size I thought it must be fate!

Fiorelli Tan Purse - This weekend, my family and I visited Clarks Village which is a little outlet village only about an hour away from me. They had a Fiorelli Outlet there which I couldn't resist spending a good half an hour in and managed to pick up this purse to match my bag at only £10!

Maybelline Color Drama Lipstick in 'Keep it Classy' - I have wanted this shade of lipstick for so long and found this one a few weeks ago and just had to get it! It's a really nice berry colour, great for this season!

e.l.f Eye shadow in 'Saddle' and Eye shadow Stick in 'Turkish Coffee' - Whilst in Cardiff I popped down one of the little lanes that I love going to when I'm there and stumbled across an 'e.l.f' store, so had to pick up a few things. These eye shadows are both bronzey-brown colours and when I swatched them in store thought they were lovely and natural!

Dusky Pink Top - This top from New Look is the same style as my berry one mentioned a few posts ago but in a lovely light pink. When I find a shape/style of something I like, I can't resist but to buy nearly every colour!

Leather trousers - I have been looking for years for the perfect leather trousers (there was a huge gap in my wardrobe!) and I think I've finally found them! These are from Pull and Bear and just what I wanted! The leather isn't shiny but almost feels as if it's real and they're nice and stretchy so really comfortable to wear, which is difficult to find with tight leather!

Love Hope xxx

DUO Boots #BootTribe Blogger Event!

Shoes have become a slight obsession for me in recent months especially and last Thursday evening, I was lucky enough to be invited to the Duo's #BootTribe Blogger's event in Bath. I'd never heard of this brand before and being my first proper blogging event, I was so excited! 

Duo is a fabulous footwear brand that is known for its quality and versatility, with a huge range of both shoes and boots that are tailored to fit with 21 calf sizes and 3 widths! As soon as I heard I would be going to this event, I hopped onto their website and I must say I fell in love with a few short of a dozen pairs of shoes. They have such a great selection with just about any design you could ever wish for, and the quality in real life is amazing! Definitely boots you'll be able to wear forever!

The event was named #BootTribe and the aim of the evening was to determine which tribe you belonged to - whether that was the ankle boot, over the knee or knee high. I went for an ankle boot (which actually ended up being the winning tribe of the evening) however, I also have my eyes now on a pair of knee highs too. (Christmas? Possibly!)  

 

 

The boots I was lucky enough to choose a pair of were the 'Mathias' boots in tan. Not a style I thought I'd initially go for when browsing through the website, but a pair that I fell in love with when seen in real life! I picked these as my collection was missing a good pair of tan heeled boots and I could see me wearing these both in the day or evening. I always find shopping for shoes so difficult as I have small but quite wide feet. The ladies organising the event were so lovely and helpful though, and I'll definitely be visiting the shop again very soon! 

The event was a great experience, with lots of other lovely bloggers there all from around the South West including the lovely Michelle from eclecticthreads.wordpress.com who did a great post on the event!

 I honestly cannot rave enough about how great the brand are and how lovely the shop is! If you get a chance to pop in do! (They have stores in Bath, London and Edinburgh) I know from now on whenever I need new boots I'll definitely be heading here!

To find out more about Duo and browse their amazing range you can pop to their website - www.duoboots.com or follow @DuoBoots over on Twitter!

Love Hope xxx

The Leather Jacket

For years now, a leather jacket has been a staple item for my wardrobe, especially in the Autumn and end of Winter. I'd worn the same one for a couple of years now, just a plain black style with silver zips and detailing from New Look. However, this year I fancied a change as mine was looking a bit worn down!

I'd done a bit of research online, trying to find the perfect style and a good 'petite' size as I don't like mine to be too long. I then stumbled across this one from Miss Selfridge and completely fell in love.

I love that there is so much faux fur around this season and I think this was mostly what drew me to this jacket. I also managed to get it in a petite version, which wasn't as tight on the arms as I thought it would be and still left some room for extra layers. I love the detailing on this as well, I think the gold makes it look a bit more expensive and looks a lot nicer than the silver zips. The fur is detachable too, which is great for when you want something really casual.

I'm definitely going to be wearing this non-stop until it gets too cold!

What staple piece do you love for this time of year?

Love Hope xxx

The Backpack

I absolutely love that backpacks have come back into style these past few years, I think there are some really lovely ones out there, but was hesitant to wear one myself with worry I'd look like a 10 year old walking to school (I'm only 5 ft, so everything looks massive on me!). I decided for this year at college though, I was going to try out a backpack and see whether it stopped me being weighed down on one side with a shoulder bag full of folders.

So, I scoured the shops in search of a backpack that was a bit different but still looked stylish and came up with this one. This gorgeous bag is from ALDO (although I did order it from ASOS) and I think you can still get it in the shops.

(Photos taken from the ALDO and ASOS website) 

I just really love this bag! I love the sleek style and wear it just about everywhere at the moment! It's not too big, but big enough for A4 folders and can be adjusted with the zips at the side to be bigger. There's loads of pockets as well, which is again really handy, when like me you carry everything but the kitchen sink in your bag. 

I think it's safe to say that I am now a backpack convert!

Have you seen any bags you've loved lately?

Love Hope xxx

September Favourites

Another one of my favourite posts to read or videos to watch is people's monthly favourites. So, I thought I'd start to join in and let you know a few of the things that I've been loving this month.

• MAC Studio Moisture Tint SPF 15 - I got this to try out a few weeks ago as I'm trying not to wear foundation everyday. I really like this just to even out my skin tone a little, the coverage isn't great but for everyday it's lovely and light.
• Garnier Ambre Solaire After Sun Hydrating Tan Maintainer - Having been lucky enough to go on holiday in July and then away for the weekend last week, I've still got a nice tan and think this stuff has definitely helped me keep it!
• Botanics All Bright Refreshing Eye Roll-On - Going on holiday in Summer, I wanted to try a new eye cream to brighten under my eyes a bit when I wasn't wearing any make up. I've really noticed the difference when using this and love how cooling the roller is!
• Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in 'Nudist' - I used to wear this all the time last year, but for some reason I've neglected it the past few months. When I was getting a '3 for 2' in Boots, I had to pick one up though, remembering how much I loved it. I've pretty much worn it just about everyday this month!
• New Look Checked Shirt - I bought this shirt late August but have worn it so much in September. I like that you can switch it up and make it warmer when its cold by layering or leave it open when its a bit warmer.

What have you been loving this past month?

Love Hope xxx

Bristol Fashion Week AW14

Friday evening, I had the delight of being able to go and see the Bristol Fashion Week Blogger show at the Mall Cribbs Causeway. I've been before a couple years ago and loved it, but this time managed to be even better! It's 18 catwalk shows over 5 days hosted by the lovely Mark Heyes and Andrew Barton.

This show was their Autumn/Winter 2014 one which I was very excited about to see all the autumnal colours and fur coats etc (one of my favourite parts of this time of year!). There were some really lovely pieces in the show from the high street stores this year which I am definitely going to be looking for when I'm shopping next!

I've picked out a few of my favourite looks or items, all things that you can get in the shops now hopefully! Some pictures are my own and some shot by the Mall's team themselves, who as always did a great job with the event!

Jack Wills had some lovely items for Autumn/Winter in the show. My favourite was probably the playsuit in the right picture, I loved the print and think it just looked so casual but could be smart!

There were lots of Parka's around as well this season, which I think have really come into their own the past few years and become one of the must have coats. I love the colours of all these ones and that they still have a lovely flattering shape despite looking nice and cosy.

There was also a lot of autumnal purples and greys and then red colours for winter which are probably all my favourite colours and looked great! I loved all the layering going on with capes, scarves and chunky jumpers.

What I really love about going to see the Bristol Shows are that they don't just show the clothes, the models dance, you get a great conversation between Mark and Andrew throughout and some great live music!

 What are you looking forward to seeing this season?

Love Hope xxx

A Couple of My Favourite Looks From London Fashion Week

Despite having never being lucky enough to go yet, London Fashion Week is probably one of my favourite events of the year. I love looking through all the shows online and in magazines, seeing both the outfits on the catwalks and what people wore to go see them. I love seeing all the different styles and then taking inspiration for my wardrobe or what I'm looking for that season, you can always find a good high street dupe with designer inspiration.

Here are a few of my favourite bits from this seasons London Fashion week, both designer catwalks and attendees.

I love Topshop and think they had one of the best shows this year! I loved the colour blocking that could easily be casual wear or dressed up more. The sparkly dresses were beautiful as well, I'll definitely be looking out for these SS15!

Tanya Burr is probably one of my favourite bloggers and I love her style! I've seen this dress in Topshop before and think she looks so lovely in it! It's such a great classic look and I love the slight A-line skirt, definitely something i'm excited to see more of this season!

Everytime I see pictures of Millie Mackintosh recently I always love what she is wearing! I absolutely love these outfits she wore to LFW this week, so classic but stylish, she's definitely my style inspiration at the moment!

I've never actually heard of this designer before but when looking through the shows online I came across Mary Katrantzou and fell in love with her collection. I love the neutral colours and black and white detailing, I think all these looks are just so pretty and definitely something I want to find to wear of a summer evening!

I think this look Poppy Delevingne is wearing is so chic! I love that it's something you could wear easily from daytime to nightime and love the velvet effect of her trousers. I might have to try and find this outfit for myself!

These are just few looks I loved this time round, I also loved Alexa Chung's style and some bits from many other shows like Burberry and Mulberry. I'm so excited to see what the high street does with all these trends too!

Are there any looks/shows you loved this London Fashion Week?

Love Hope xxx