Girls' Night Out
11 October 2016
Leeds, UK
I love a good night out. Living so close to a city like
Leeds means the best bars are only a train ride away and I can spend all night
sipping cocktails that taste like bacon at Angelica Leeds, or stuffing my face
until 4am at Revolution on Call Lane. It’s safe to say, being on a night out
with friends is a lot of fun, but there’s something about girl bonding that’s
just the very best. Getting dressed up together, while listening to the cheesiest
music (obviously) and falling into hysterics over nothing. A night out just for
the girls is perfect, and I always want to look my best.
When it comes to a night out, I like to keep it classically
casual. One thing I always think is: “would I wear a leather jacket with this?”
If the answer is yes, the dress is a go. This awesome cold shoulder dress from
Boutique of Molly is an easy fave because the colour and design is perfectly
stylish but not over the top. Everyone wants to stand out a little bit, but I’m
not good with too much attention on me so looking cute is about as far as I’ll
go (or try). I’ve been loving the cold shoulder style all summer, and it was an
enormous trend from the beginning of April. So far, I’ve only worn this look in
tops, but I’m certainly on board with a straight dress design. Sadly, this
dress went out of stock a few days after I bought it – I know… devastating.
Amazingly, I already owned shoes that faultlessly matched
the tone of the dress (Next coming through for me once again)! I actually own
these wrap wedges in two colours, because I love them so much. The best feature
is definitely the comfort, I almost feel like I’m wearing flats when I have
them one because they’re so cushioned and the suede is incredibly soft – the perfect
night out shoe. I’m 100% not
one of those girls who’s being carried into a taxi with one shoe on her hand
and one half way down the street, so a pair that’s long-lasting and comfortable
are totally my go-to.
PS: there are plenty of goodies over on Boutique of Molly's site, go ahead and use discount code' ANIKAM20' to receive 20% off your order!
Bag // New Look (similar)
Shoes // Next (similar)
Sunglasses // ASOS
Watch // Blake
LDN
New In: Happiness Boutique Jewellery
7 October 2016
Ripon, UK
I recently received the Luminous
Feather Ear Crawler Asymmetrical Earrings*
and the Angelic
Feather Crystal Ear Crawlers* from
Happiness Boutique and just had to share my opinion of the earrings on my blog.
I have a love for earrings because they’re an effortless piece of jewellery. They’re
easy and light to wear, and half the time I forget I’m even wearing them. I
only have two piercings in my earlobes, so I don’t always get to be
experimental with earrings, but I have found that there are earrings out there,
like crawlers and cuffs, that can really spice up a look.
Happiness
Boutique believes in being happy and spreading happiness every day. They
want their store to be a place where people would not only look good but also
feel good, which I really like as I also believe confidence is key. When I got
the opportunity to browse their store, I was so excited because some of the
pieces are perfect for the upcoming season. A lot of the earrings in particular
have a charming vintage touch. The company offers free shipping (always a
bonus) and a customer
reward programme, and a bi-monthly giveaway to win the
occasional statement goodies. Now that you know about the company, let’s talk
earrings.
The Luminous Feather Ear Crawler Asymmetrical Earrings drew
my attention due to the rose gold colour. I have always been more attached to
rose gold jewellery, not only because it looks super chic with any outfit, but
also because the tone is something different to the regular silver and gold. I
have no idea why, but feather have also become a recent obsession of mine,
especially for the autumn-time, so I can’t wait to wait these asymmetrical
earrings with my new wardrobe. One thing I love, is that the earrings aren’t
identical, which is exactly what makes them unique. The bling bling makes them
dramatic, but not too over the top.
Similarly, the Angelic Feather Crystal Ear Crawlers are
light and elegant, but still hold that bedazzle value. I have long dark hair so
I like to have a little shimmer in my ears; the angel-like feather pair are
perfect. I tend to stick with silver, white gold and rose gold for jewellery
because I feel like it brightens an outfit a lot more than the simple gold. I
love the shape of these earrings because they’re unlike anything I’ve worn
before and could enhance my already-dull office outfits, or become the perfect
accessory to a night out ensemble. I’ve noticed that both earrings are sturdy
but light – an essential.
If I had to pick a favourite, I think it would be the
Luminous Feather Crawlers, simply because I’m a huge sucker for anything that’s
rose gold or copper, and I love that the pieces aren’t identical. I would
totally recommend Happiness Boutique as the quality of the products are worth
the price and I loved the customer service/ordering process!
Psssssst! You can receive 10% off your order by using my discount code, "anikamay" at the checkout!
Irresistible Me Remy Clip-In Hair Extensions | Review
4 October 2016
Sheffield, UK
Since wearing full and part weaves, I have always worn remy hair. When I was around fourteen years old, I had my very first weave and I was excited; I would literally parade around school and tell people “my hair is basically going look like Beyoncé’s” because I was under the impression everyone’s weaves look as A-star as hers. Obviously, I didn’t rock up to school with £3,000 extensions, but I did fall in love with them. For a long while, I’ve tried multiple stores for extensions, and often switch between sewn-in and clip-in. Sometimes I even switch the two, just so I had add extra layers if needed. I recently received some remy extensions from Irresistible Me and couldn’t wait to try them out.
I can be quite sceptical of extensions as I’ve had some sent to me before, and didn’t even bother to review them because they were so bad. I’ve also ordered extensions myself in bundles online, and they ended up being really thin, lighter than the colour I always order (1B), or wavy when I prefer to have my hair straight. Little things like this really put me off online stores, and one bad experience can ruin it all for me. Last year I ordered a closure from Ali Express that was lighter than the site suggested, I still wore the lace closure with my extensions, and after I took it out and washed it thoroughly, it got so matted up, I couldn’t even get a comb into it.
Irresistible Me is a New York-based brand that specialises in 100% natural Remy clip-in hair extensions, hair accessories and hair tools. After receiving their clip-in extensions, I decided to try them with my own extensions to see if I could make them a little thicker and give my hair more body for an event. I already have a full weave, with a lace closer and bundles of hair that’s a mix of 16” and 18”. The great thing about the ordering process is being able to select exactly what you want, which I was impressed with. You can chose the thickness, colour, length & weight before completing your purchase.
I got the Silky Touch Natural Black extensions (1B)* and decided to clip them in during the day, and see how well they would attach to my hair as I partied the night away. Delivery-wise, they took a while to get to me, but I wasn’t in any rush to receive them. The hair is very silky, and the shine isn’t oily, nor is the texture too oily. Sometimes with extensions, you find the occasional wire within the hair, or a strand that’s bright blonde which looks very out of place, however all of the hair is 1B – luckily. I found the clips easy to attach to my own hair in between the tracks of my sew-in extensions and they felt very secure throughout the evening. One thing I loved is how ‘flowy’ the hair was, it felt real and not like the Barbie doll hair you can buy online. Check out the before and after above!
The clip-ins fit well with my extensions and matched the colour I already have, plus they are lightweight and only really feel heavy once they’re wet. One of the things I really loved, is that I could wear them with a weave, and they added to the body, not the weight. I did notice the extensions lost a little bit of shine after a wash, but they didn’t matte up or become coarse which is a huge bonus. The only downside to the extensions, is that after a while, they do start to wear. This is something I've found to be quite common with certain remy brands, and few YouTubers have also revealed that the hair can shed over a long period of time or can even become overly tangled. Despite this, I definitely think they're worth a try and work for me as I only wear clip-ins on a temporary basis.
Have you ever tried a product from Irresistible Me? What did you think?
Next's #ProjectTaxi Blogger Event
2 October 2016
Shoreditch, UK
 |
| Next's Velvet Print Boots were easily my favourite shoe of the night! |
Regarding the displays and accessories, Next is definitively stepping up their game as a high street store, a lot of the items on show reminded me of the type of pieces you would see in Zara; sophisticated but simple and stylish. I'm not big on clothing/accessories that's over the top, or I think an outfit should have just the one staple piece for an every day look, and a lot of the bolder shoes by Next could be that staple. The event was absolutely brilliant and I loved being back in London - thanks Next!
10 Things You Probably Don’t Know About Me
30 September 2016
London, UK
Reading lifestyle posts is like a hobby to me. I’m
incredibly nosy, so I love browsing other articles about the blogger or their
life – it helps me to feel like I know the person behind the words and the
photos. There aren’t a whole bunch of ‘tag’ posts on Anika May, but I love
writing them and seeing the reaction of commenters. It’s nice to know if there
are people similar to me or completely different!
#1 I’m obsessed with
everything Marvel.
I was never into comic books as a child. Ever. I didn’t know
who Captain America was until I accidentally downloaded The Winter Soldier in
2015 and fell into the world of Marvel. I was completely oblivious to The
Avengers coming out in 2012 until watching my first Marvel movie. After seeing
ScarJo and Mr Evans dominate the screen, I rented all Marvel films from The
Incredible Hulk to build up my knowledge and understanding of the cinematic
universe. The Winter Soldier literally changed my life. Not only did it
encourage my weird devotion to my husband, Chris Evans, but also got me into a
whole other world of comic books and characters. I haven’t been to a convention
or anything, but I just adore the films. The DC films are also entertaining for
me, but I feel like Marvel has a magic touch when it comes to making movies, I
could watch Avengers, The Winter Soldier and Civil War every day and be happy.
#2 I’m super into
American Football.
I have absolutely no
idea how this happened. Like Marvel, it’s not something I grew up with and
a world I didn’t know existed until I was in it. In 2014, I watched a video of
Tom Brady’s quarterback highlights on YouTube and was incredibly impressed. From
that moment the New England Patriots kind of became my team and I have
supported them ever since. I also really like the Broncos and the Falcons –
it’s a shame not a whole bunch of people in the UK know about the NFL. As a
kid, I had family members who liked Manchester United (I’m sorry) and other
football teams, but no mention of what goes on across the pond. Nowadays I’m
trying to follow every game as the season starts up again. For me, it’s an
entertaining sport that brings out my competitive side; plus the Super Bowl is
a monumental event with amazing performers! Go Pats!
#3 I aspired to be a
fashion designer as a child.
During my younger years, Stardoll was my life. I don’t know
if it’s a site that’s still as popular, but it’s still going. When I fell in
love with dressing dolls up, I decided I wanted to dress people up too. My mum
used to be a fashion designer for brands like Next, Debenhams etc – so I would
always watch her sketch wonderful styles and sew all day and night. Sadly, I
didn’t pick up the sewing gene but I did get a few drawing skills from her. Designing
clothing is still something I do for fun on occasion, and can often find myself
doodling outfits on any spare scrap of paper, but in reality, that hectic
career is not for me.
#4 I used to publish
my own magazine.
Fashion is in my blood, it’s something I will always love,
even if I’m not the next Anna Wintour. Between the ages of 8 and 16, I created my
own magazine (the name is just too
embarrassing to reveal) and would hand it out to my friends at school. I
remember doing everything, from the contents page to my own adverts. Microsoft
Publisher was my very best friend during those stages, and my mum would be
furious after each month passed because I’d print around 20 copies of a 15-page
magazine just to give to my friends. Yup. The magazine was very similar to
Shout or Mizz (throwback or what?) and I really thought it would become a
world-wide phenomenon. Eventually I realised it doesn’t work that way.
#5 I’m terrified of
dogs barking.
When I was around seven, I was in a park with my dad and
younger sister, who would have been about three years old and still in a
pushchair. We were casually walking through a large park in Leeds, and I
spotted three German Shepheard dogs jumping up at a tree and barking at their
owner – who was only controlling the fully-grown dogs with a small stick. I
don’t know what triggered it, but the dogs just came for me and my instinct was
to run (the complete opposite of what you’re supposed to do). The chased me,
while barking and eventually caught up, biting and clawing at me until my dad
reach me and pulled them off me. Since that day, dogs barking always makes me
jump, even if I’m familiar/friendly with the dog!
#6 I got lost in
Buckingham Palace.
Way back when, during the solid years of 2005, I went on a
tour of Buckingham Palace and ended up in a random room full of paintings and a
whole wing away from my mum and sister. We visited the London landmark for fun
and managed to get tickets on a unique tour on some of the more intimate rooms
of the palace. Somehow, Little Miss Daydream here, managed to get lost from the
group, so I tried to find them myself. I specifically remember climbing under
velvet rope and thinking it was a good idea – it wasn’t. The tour guide
eventually found me before any guards did, and tried her very hardest to try
not to strangle me on the spot. I’d entered a restricted area of the palace…
oops.
#7 I don’t have a
middle name.
I feel like middle names are a fact you know about someone
when you really know them (or if you’re
evil and want to use it against them one day). Well, I don’t have one! My full
name is Anika Hunt
and that’s it. My mum and dad didn’t think I needed one and liked the idea of a
first and last name. My siblings don’t have middle names either, that seems to
be the running theme in our little family. It’s not something I’ve ever been
upset about because it’s something I never had! What’s your middle name?
#8 Anika May was not
my first blog.
I guess blogging is something I’ve always wanted to do
without actually knowing. My first blog was called On The Hunt and was this embarrassing domain my dad helped me set
up. It was basically a space for me to complain about anything and everything,
but then Twitter came along and I could do that multiple times a day. My second
blog was called Mannequin Mode and I
actually had it for more than a year. It was through a website called blog.com
(which just vanished one day) and I went all out with blog posts. I tried to
post every day, even creating a Tumblr account, in the hopes of becoming the
next Lauren Conrad and interning for Teen Vogue.
#9 The Sims used to
be everything to me.
I’m hoping I’m not alone here, but I loved The Sims. From
The Sims, to The Sims 2, to The Sims 3 – I loved them all. I still have a box
under my bed full of expansion packs for each series. I haven’t bought The Sims
4, simply because I wouldn’t have enough time to play it and lost interest as I
got older. I still think the game is legendary, you could live basically any
life you wanted: a mermaid, a vampire, a celebrity or a housewife. There were
no limits with the game and I think that’s what made it so fun. Of course, I
played with cheats to speed a few things up, but still loved the whole creating
process, and spending two days building the dream family and house before
getting bored and starting again!
#10 Reality TV is my weakness.
In my life, there’s not a lot of drama. There isn’t really anything going on that’s a cause for concern, and my friends are all pretty chill so we never really argue over much. However, reality TV is a completely different ball game. The obviously scripted and totally fake shows are my favourite: Love & Hip Hop (all versions), The Bachelor/Bachelorette, The Real Housewives, Keeping Up with the Kardashians and so on. They’re total trash TV, scraping the barrel level, but I love it! It’s hilariously entertaining to me, especially the clearly scripted parts. Plus a little window into the lives of other people’s lives satisfies the nosey side of me.
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