OOTD's

It's still snowing and I'm fed up of it now. Every time I wake up I'm faced with another three inches of snow that turns to slush by lunch time and then rain by tea time and then the cycle starts again. It's not Christmas anymore so it's not like it's even nice, sparkley Christmas time snow. It's just annoying snow. And quite frankly it's limiting my outfit choices.

Monday

A day in work

'Topshop' tie dye leggings

'Topshop' grey marl tshirt

'Topshop' black leather jacket

'Topshop' necklace

White 'Converse'

Guess where I work?

Thursday

Off to the pub

White 'Zara' top

'River Island' skinny jeans

Chocolate brown 'UGG' boots

'Accessorize' bag

Make up free

'Urban Outfitters' hat

Except for red lipstick by 'Topshop' (you need something!)

Friday

Going to see 'Django' at the cinema

'Topshop' denim shirt

'Topshop Jamie jeans

Black 'Vans'

If you haven't been to see 'Django' already you definitely definitely should! It's hilarious and gory and educational and romantic all rolled into one. Be warned it is three hours long, my medium coke and bag of revels didn't even last past the first hour!

Bella

x

Payday haul

I love payday! Who doesn't? It's like the memories of you rummaging in the bottom of your bag for bus money and wondering how long you can make a lasagna last for never happened and you're the richest person in the world for ever and ever and ever. Until the following week when it's back to the bus and lasagna. I never learn.

So this particular payday I went shopping with my sister after work. The benefits of this are that a) you can share the cost and b) bra sizes aside we're exactly the same shape. We both have completely different styles but agree on most of the same clothes but what we're picturing wearing them with is very different in each of our heads. She's stuck in the 90's grunge era on a diet of stone wash denim, 'Fred Perry' shirts and Jake Bugg albums. My style is literally different every single day depending on what music I'm listening to when I'm getting dressed and how my hair has decided to go that day.

The main objective of this payday shopping trip is that we were planning on a night out to 'Factory' which is basically an old warehouse with three floors of music where everyone whose ironically cool goes. I only agreed to go because it has a 90's R 'n' B floor which is my music of choice and my favourite bar 'Font' is nearby. And it's a Saturday night and I'm not staying in watching my Downton Abbey boxset (although I really would like to).

So we went to 'H&M'. No one told me they'd opened up a HUGE 'H&M' where I live and apparently it's been here a couple of years so I ordered my sister to take me there immediately.

I love polka dots more than any other print on the entire planet so I got very excited when I saw this for £15 and I got the black version as well.

Then we went to 'Office'. I'm almost embarrassed to have bought these ^ because I know exactly what they look like, basically librarian shoes! BUT I used to work in 'Office' when all the girls were buying these and I just couldn't get on board with them. I was a 'Converse' girl through and through and that's where my shoe collection started and ended really. Fast forward by a year and I've had these on my mind for quite some time now. I thought they'd go out of fashion but with 'River Island' and 'Topshop' both introducing their own pair of loafers (even the word makes my soul cringe) I don't think they'll be going anytime soon. These were £58 (I know that's ludicrous but they do last for years I promise) but I got discount because my sister flirted with the sales assistant man. I went for a size smaller than I actually am because they're leather and stretch a lot.

And then I got sidetracked...I've wanted a pair of either black 'Vans' or black 'Converse' since last summer but for some reason kept buying white 'Converse'. I guess I got too comfy! I have a pair of red 'Vans' I never wear but I tried these on and instantly felt like me in them and knew I'd wear them everyday.

I'm still in love with the bouffant and BIG hair so had to pick up my weekly supplies for volumising. Because I love my 'Toni&Guy' sea salt spray so much and the smell is just lush I thought I'd see what else they've been introducing lately. This tiny hairspray is perfect for my bag and seems to hold pretty well if a little sticky.

  I switch my favourite 'Bastiste' dry shampoo around on a fortnightly basis depending on the smell and packaging and I was in a cherry mood on this particular day.

Because my skin has been having tantrums fit for Mariah Carey for the past month or so action needed to be taken! I went into 'The Body Shop' which was having a 3 for 2 offer week and headed in the tea tree section. Everyone knows tea tree is good for calming down break outs and its cool menthol smell only makes it feel fresher on your skin. I went for the body wash, facial wash and face mask.

I used all three this morning and I did feel pretty squeaky clean but I'll have to see how it goes. Usually no matter how much fruit and veg I eat or expensive products I shower my undeserving skin with, if it wants to kick up a fuss it bloody well will and usually the day before I'm going out! Hence why you never see me in low cut/sleeveless numbers. 

I picked up this 'Andy' skirt from 'Topshop' for £16. I had bought one when I moved house last year and it disapeared en route and I kept meaning to pick up another one and then never did. It's a nice alternative to jeans and you can wear it all year round and with pretty much anything. It also comes in dusky pink and dark green.

I have a new obsession...lipsticks. I never used to be a lipstick girl but seeing as my skin is being such a momentus disaster at the minute my usual obsession with bronzers has had to have a Winter off and has since been replaced. 'Revlon's Lip Butters' have been much blogged about but I never got that involved in the hype until I was mooching along and they caught my eye. Originally I fell in love with a hot pink colour but because they're so buttery I was a bit worried it would end up sliding onto my chin.

So I opted for 'Strawberry Shortcake' which is a nice pinky pink without that frosted finish or so baby pink you look ill. I think it was about £10 but 'Revlon' have offers every now and again so if you're in no desperate rush I'd wait until then. 

It lasted me 4 hours and although the creaminess did diminish throughout the day the colour did not. 

So all in all it was a very productive (if expensive) payday shopping trip!

Bella

x

Interview Outfit

I was invited to an interview and a typing test and had to think of a semi-formal outfit I could wear to it that I could also keep warm in as I ran to work afterwards, all with just a few hours notice!

I always try and think about what I would look for if it was my business and I was interviewing and being the style perfectionist that I am I know my eyes would wander to nails, hair and make up, among other things. In my opinion if someone has an eye for the little details it's likely they carry that same trait through to other areas of their lives. So first up was nails!

My favourite nude shade is 'Sugar Daddy' by 'Essie'. If you've ever worked as a receptionist you'll be very familiar with nude nail varnishes and I have about ten in my collection, everything from 'Chanel' (streaky) to 'Barry M' (flaky) but 'Essie' wins everytime. I always use their base coat as well because I change my polish so often it takes less time to get it off my nails with a base coat on first.

I went for big voluminous waves as big hair makes me feel a bit more powerful and bouncy! I don't know why. My usual hairspray had unfortunately been all sprayed out over the weekend (I have one friend who consistently uses up all my dry shampoo and hairspray every single time she comes over and isn't ashamed to admit it!) so I had to run to the corner shop and get theirs which didn't have the nicest smell but I was too desperate to mind.

Make up wise I used my trusty 'Naked2' pallette by 'Urban Decay'. I went for 'Bootycall' all over the eyelid followed by 'Snakebite' in the outer corner and lightly under the eye. Then I finished off with defined brows and 'BadGal' mascara by 'Benefit'.

Following on with the nude theme I picked out this 'YSL' lipstick from their much raved about 'Rouge Volupte' collection. It was (whisper it) £28 so I expected good things from this but truth be told it's very very similar to any other nude/dusk pink shade by 'MAC' which is about half the price plus it's really matte and shows up any dry skin on your lips. 

It comes out a warm nude pink shade with very little shine to it.

Because winter isn't so kind on my lips I added 'Pink Bubbly' by 'Vaseline' over the top to keep them soft and the colour in place. This has a lovely light pink tint to it so you can wear it without any lipstick but it is limited edition and about £3.99 so catch it whilst you can! I looked around for it for a good few months in some flagship 'Boots' stores and still couldn't get hold of it.

Outfit wise I went for my favourite 'Topshop' peplum (now in the sale at £15), it has a matching skirt but in a slightly darker shade of grey which I fell in love with but when I went back to claim it after precisely two minutes they didn't have my size left! Gutted is not the word. Don't think I haven't ruthlessly looked up and down the country in every 'Topshop' store I could find because I have! 

I paired the top with a teal green pencil skirt also from 'Topshop'. It's a jersey material so it's quite clingy so spanx are recommended! I teamed them with a plain black blazer from 'Primark', they do such good blazers I'm always stock piling them.

These are my favourite shoes and I have three pairs now! They're only £10 from 'Primark' but I love them to pieces and they actually last a good few months before starting to go downhill which is good for 'Primark'. I uhmmed and ahhed about brogues for a long long time before deciding they weren't my thing, especially as I have size 7 feet (on a good day) and masculine shaped shoes only make my feet look even more yeti-like. These aren't full brogues, they're super comfy and they go with most outfits so I was sold.

Unfortunately it was so cold on the bus there that my carefully put together look was ruined by having to add about ten layers on top of it!

Ah well, frostbite isn't a great look either!

Bella

x

Monochrome January

If you've strolled past the windows of 'H&M' lately you'll see their current trend focus is on black and white i.e. monochrome. We go back to good old black and white on a yearly basis but rarely does it make its fashion stamp known, well now it's finally earning its (zebra) stripes and taking its place as THE trend for January/February. Other stores have slowly started introducing their own monochrome madness but I've yet to be wowed by anyone else's window displays as I have with 'H&M' and I can't say I'm surprised, if anyone likes a strong colour pattern it's 'H&M'.

To illistrate my point of a) how wearable, easily put together and effective black on white and white on black is and b) how monochrome comes around year on year and always remains in style and c) how good monochrome looks in the style of stripes, I put together a little photo shoot:

Pick black and white accessories to add a touch of style to an otherwise plain outfit (black work suit anyone?) 

Badge from 'Topshop' £16

Off the shoulder+stripes+mono=casually cool

Top from 'H&M' £10

If you're getting lost in a stripey dress bring it all together and take some waist control with a belt in a contrasting colour.

Dress by 'Topshop' £22

Pair black and white stripes with denim to keep it casual and add white or black accessories to tie it all together.

Top by 'Topshop' £18

Bella

x

OOTD and birthday night out

With the weather being so silly at the minute it's easy to forget about looking smokin and stick to leggings under jeans, thermal vests and three jumpers just to try to keep your body temperature normal! On my days off (like today) I stay firmly indoors and didn't get out of my jim jams till 6pm when I was forced to venture outside for our traditional family venture to the local carvery.

As I'd been out celebrating my birthday the previous night I was very up for piling my plate high but our local pub isn't just any old pub, it's a posh little place with shabby chic furniture and candles everywhere and a big fire and everyone is very polite if they happen to knock into you with their 'Marc Jacobs' handbag. So sweat pants, a jumper and a bobble hat was not going to cut it.

My denim shirt is from 'Topshop' and I've pretty much lived in it ever since I bought it. The black lacey skirt is from 'H&M' and was about £10, I've lost a silly amount of weight since I bought it and now it's a good two sizes too big so I pin it up at the back. The neclace is from 'Topshop' and was £10, it's black on one side and white on the other which I like very much.

How rude.

These boots were from 'New Look', I saw them in the window display and ran in. I think they were about £15 and go with everything. They also come in a mousey brown colour. I fall over in them on a daily basis due to their sloped heel.

As previously mentioned it was my birthday night out the night before and we all took about three hours to get ready so there was no time for pictures unfortunately. We were all dancing around my room drinking Kopparbergs with the speakers up full blast and dresses, heels and make up flying backwards and forwards-bliss! We did manage to take a couple of pictures during the five hours we were out which is handy as we were all a little sketchy on the memories. 

My outfit of choice was this 'Topshop' dress which was about £28 and also comes in a dark green and various prints. It doesn't look much on the hanger but looks amazing on and clings to every curve which is always a winner with me. My theory is that there will come a day when I just can't pull off skin tight anymore so I may as well go for it whilst I can still rock it.

My work outfits have ended up being pretty basic due to the weather especially if I'm at the front of the store and therefore getting blasted by the cold draft every two minutes but hey, whose complaining? So these 'leigh' jeans by 'Topshop' and my 'converse' have been coming out to play most days. I wore them with this white open knit top, also from 'Topshop' and my 'Marks and Spencer' thermal top underneath for extra warmth and because the top is so open knit it's basically see-through. Finished off with my leather jacket and scarf, both by 'Topshop'. I woke up to some amazing bed hair so I literally just got dressed and left the house in less than half an hour which is very very rare for me.

Still snowing...

Love