Simply Topshop

31 July 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
I'm not really the type of dresser that feels the need to wear a whole load of times all piled into one outfit. Although I do really like layering, especially in the winter - I really like a simple look, especially two-pieces. Although the two main items in my outfit weren't bought as a two-piece, I think they go well enough together to make one. Whether it's trousers and a blazer, or a cropped top and midi skirt, I just like simplicity. However, I do try really hard not to go totally plain otherwise my wardrobe would be pretty boring, so to avoid this I try to add a few patterns and prints where I can to spice up my look. Both my top and skirt were bought in Topshop's most recent sale, and were more of an impulse buy if anything. I don't usually wear skirts that are too short, just because I don't feel as comfortable in them with they're not a big circle or skater skirt. This skirt isn't too far from that style, but tones really well with the jumper as the grey on the skirt is identical to the colour around the neckline. I've paired a grey skirt with this top because I think it highlights the top and causes it to become a staple piece. Because my jumper is relatively 'busier' than the rest of my outfit, it gives off the illusion that my outfit is much more complex, rather than just wearing two block colours. The jumper is also quite bright compared to my accessories which really focuses all the attention to the one piece. I think this super easy method is a great way to make an outfit seem more exciting, especially if you don't have loads of different items to experiment with!
Jumper - Topshop
Skirt - Topshop
Shoes - Fred Perry
Bag - Next

Beauty Headliners

30 July 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
My blog often focuses a lot of fashion and personal style, as well as trends and what's on the runway. But I have done beauty posts in the past and today I thought I would share some items that I have been using frequently to highlight my facial features. Because I have a darker skin tone, I can't use a lot of really light eye shadows or lip sticks because they don't contrast well and clash instead. In the evening, I like to go for a much darker look, and used to resort to the infamous 'smokey eye' with no lip stick because it was the easiest thing to do. But with these products, I can transform my eyes and lips from day to night very easily.
The Pixi by Petra Endless Silky Eye Pen is my favourite of the four products because it's so effective and long lasting. It's really hard to find a pencil liner that lasts more than a few hours, but this liner will last under I have to take it off at night. I was a little sceptical at first as I was unsure of how a eye pencil could be 'silky' but this product lives up to it's name. It's so easy to apply because it is so silky, and even has a shimmer effect to it which means it shines from the morning right through to the night. This liner is perfect for lining my eyes because it really highlights them. It's a little lighter than my skin, so it tones really well and is waterproof as well as light on my skin. The shade is 'BronzeBeam'.
The Lord & Berry eye pencil is another liner I use to highlight my eyes. The colour is actually a really dark blue, which differs from the usual black pencil. I really like the blue in this pencil because it's visible all day and incredibly light on my skin. For really hot summer days when I don't feel like wear gel or liquid eyeliner, I will always go for this pencil because it's easy to use and creates a strong and visible line. The colour goes really well with my skin tone as blue is one of my complimentary colours. I would use this liner throughout the winter too, as it's waterproof and sumdgeproof, unlike other liners which either come off, or I have to take off because they're affecting my sensitive skin. The colour is #704 'Ocean'.
Recently I really been struggling with some eye shadow that I can wear throughout the day without having to redo my make up for the evening or a different occasion. I love this GloMinerals trio in the shade 'Champagne Rose' because it feature three different colour for summer and winter. All the colours blend really well with each other, and like the eyeliners, this shadow set does stay on for long periods of time. With a lot of eye shadows, I could apply quite a lot to my lids and most of it will have disappeared by the end of the day. They easily create all-in-one looks and I love this trio because it will suit all skin tones. I usually can't  use lighter colours as mentioned before, but I adore all the colours in this little trio. The rich, vibrant shades also include green tea extract which is extremely beneficial for skin.
Finally, the Daniel Sandler lipstick is my go-to lipstick this season. The 'Impulse' shade appears red when you look at the stick and in photos, but when applied, you can actually see pinky tones within the lipstick which also has a touch of shimmer to really highlight your lips. I use this lipstick to create a statement lip as it's bold colour really compliments my skin tone and tones well with the rest of my favourites. It also contains ultra moisturising hyaluronic acid which leaves your lips feeling moisturised and smooth all night. Unlike a lot of other lipsticks, this doesn't come off easily, so I can sip drinks and so forth without leaving cherry red lips stamps everywhere. The long lasting element in all these products has bumped them all up to my essentials list!
Pixi by Petra Eye Pen - The Hut
Lord & Berry Eye Pencil - Lookfantastic
GloMinerals Eye Shadow Trio - HQhair (more Glo products)
Daniel Sandler Luxury Lipstick - Beauty Expert

Drop the Waist

29 July 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
This is a style that really goes out of my comfort zone. The 'drop waist' dress has been around for quite a while, but I only really started to notice them after seeing a style similar on the Chanel catwalk, I then soon started to take notice inside stores. I like the skater or fit-n-flare style, but because I'm quite tall, I usually opt for the high waist, whether elasticated or not. Fit-n-flare dresses are also amazing for hiding all the lumps and bumps that never need to be seen around the torso and upper leg. Before trying on these dresses, I thought they would never really suit me, and I'm still getting used to the style but it's growing on me. Wearing it feels no different to wearing a longer top and a mini skirt so it is in no way uncomfortable and actually quite easy to wear and style. This dress has short sleeves, so I paired it with a black leather jacket that matches the very dark grey stripes in the dress. I think this look is perfect for a really casual day out because it's simple cool and comfortable. It's not too 'out there' for summer and can be transformed perfectly for winter. With fashion, I think one of the most experimental things you can do is try something new - I guess that goes for life too. It could be as small as switching a dress style, wearing a new colour or going all out and wearing something completely out of your comfort zone. Today it's just the dress, but I'm making a goal of trying something new at least twice a month, just to shake things up.
Dress - Topshop
Jacket - Miss Selfridge
Bag - Topshop
Shoes - Next

Check and Charcoal

28 July 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
There was a time when everyone was wearing check or flannel shirts, even celebrities. The most popular seemed to be the red one, and a lot of the time, they were being worn around the waist rather than on your body. I have personally always preferred oversized check shirts, that were so big they could be worn with leggings or even tights, rather than cropped ones. However, I came across this button-up shirt in Topshop's most recent sale and I knew I had to buy it. I really like the cropped top plus high-waisted style, and although this shirt isn't too cropped, it's short enough for me. I love that it's short-sleeved so I can actually wear it during the summer, as most flannel shirts have long sleeves and are cotton so they're too warm to wear in the sun. This shirt is also really thin, so it's perfect for this super sunny spell the whole of England is currently experiencing. My jeans are one of my favourite pairs because, they're charcoal (my favourite shade of denim) and they're unbelievably soft. Next do a really wide range of jeans or jeggings that are ridiculously soft like Topshop MOTO and is so many different colours or styles. I usually always go for a charcoal because they're really easy to pair with other colours and rarely clash, which is super important for me on casual summer days.
Shirt - Topshop
Jeans - Next
Boots - Dorothy Perkins
Bag - TK Maxx

Chiffon Central

26 July 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
I really thought I was a summer person, but I think I'm more of a winter girl. Even though I'm a spring baby, I don't think I love the warmer weather as much as I believed. But I can guarantee as soon as it moves into autumn I'll be saying "I'm definitely a summer person". I chose this bright orange top today because it's made out of a really floaty fabric called chiffon, which is often used for prom or evening dresses. Chiffon is made from cotton, silk, or synthetic fibres and can sometimes appear to be translucent because it's so thin. Chiffon is also used for blouses quite a lot, but I chose this fabric for this drop-shoulder top because I know it's really cool to wear in the sun and I love the bright colours. I think the colours and the pattern perfectly represent summer, and are a little girly which I like too. Chiffon is a really lightweight fabric, so this is also the kind of top I would wear on the beach because it's so thin and doesn't get heavy when it's wet.
I am totally a boot person, I love boots. I know I can't wear them throughout summer, but I have these ankle boots from Next with little cut-outs in the are great for the warmer weather. They have a little bit of a heel on, which is always a bonus as it makes my legs look longer, but they're also really comfortable so I can wear them for a long time and even out shopping as they're super easy to walk in. The boots are made out of a really soft leather so they're not too warm to wear over the next few summer-filled weeks.
Top - made for me
Jeans - Topshop
Shoes - Next
Bag - gift

Skin Tight Skinnies

24 July 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
I have a short post today, on a beloved item of clothing I own. I really love skinny jeans. Sometimes the tighter the better. Of course I don't wear jeans that are so tight I can't move, but I do really like them with a skinny fit. I used to wear boyfriend jeans quite a lot, as well as bootcut when I was a lot younger, but I've found that skinny jeans are the style that probably suit me best. Skinny jeans are an easy way to make an outfit appear more casual, and they're also incredibly easy to style. They can be worn with cropped tops, longer tops and can have shirts tucked in. One of my favourite styles is an oversized shirt with skinny jeans, and I also love cropped tops with only high-waisted skinny jeans. This pair of dark navy jeans are my most treasured pair because they're stretchier and very similar to jeggings. This issue with 100% denim is that it can grow stiff and become uncomfortable, so this pair is perfect because they don't fall down, and they come in 'extra long' so they're ideal for my leg length! Do you have a favourite pair of jeans?
Top - Topshop
Jeans - Next
Boots - Dorothy Perkins
Bag - TK Maxx

Monochrome Madness

23 July 2014

Gilstead, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK

Sometimes the hardest part about picking an all black outfit is finding all black pieces that are actually the same shade of black. If you wear all black outfits a lot, like me, then you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Today I went with a monochrome outfit, because I love this slightly oversized black and white shirt that I bought in Next's recent sale. I chose it to try to break out of my all black habit, but I also like how the white is incorporated in the shirt, it's not just black with white buttons or collars. I personally think the monochrome look is timeless, effortless and faultless. You can never go wrong with it because it's two colours that always correspond well with each other. My leggings are a little shiny, but I chose them over plain black leggings because they can look green-ish or even brown on camera. These leggings are also a bit stretchier than normal high street leggings so they're much more comfortable. My all black Converse are my favourite pair because I can literally wear them with  anything. I first saw them on Tumblr, and knew I had to buy them immediately because they will never clash with any of my clothes. They can also become a really simple statement piece if I contrast them with a super colourful outfit.  
Shirt - Next
Leggings - made for me
Shoes - Schuh
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