Yearly Archives: 2015

#FashionForwardFlightwear- inspired by the air hostess*

08th November 2015
Recently Monarch airlines have been getting nostalgic and taking a look back at their aircraft over the years. Good Housekeeping magazine soon picked up on this and did a similar feature showing how the Monarch crew uniform has changed over the years too. I loved seeing the evolution of the cabin crew uniform (how fabulous are those capes?) so when challenged to create my own cabin crew uniform made up of current high street pieces I game on and ready for take off…
I love a co-ordinated look and thought this paisley printed boucle jacket and skirt from Warehouse teamed with a smart roll neck under it would bring the style of the sixties and seventies up to date and on trend without detracting from the traditional glamour of an air-hostess. Add in some patent kitten heels (because comfort is key when you’re on your feet) and I think you’ve got a pretty sleek look and one that I’m seriously considering for when I want to look super smart and polished. Finish off with a sleek chignon and a swipe of red lipstick and get ready to board!
Cloche Hat and leather gloves entirely optional but I think they finish the look rather nicely, perhaps not for mid-flight though.
What do you think of my look? Admittedly it might be a *little* on the snazzy side for a uniform but I’m pretty taken with it.

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Posted in inspiration, wish list

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My Dream Garden*

07th November 2015
When the weather is good I love to spend time in the garden at my parent’s house, it’s a lovely little haven and a right proper sun trap making it perfect for reading a book and grabbing some much needed rest and relaxation. There was talk earlier this year of them having the garden completely re-done (once they’ve finished with the soon to start kitchen renovations of course) and it got me thinking about when I have a place of my own, should I be lucky enough to have my own private garden how would I like it to be?

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I think a garden should be a place of relaxation. Plenty of greenery but not so much as to make it high maintenance. It should be a place to go to escape the day and worries of every day life and have plenty of places to sit down and relax.

In my ideal garden I’d have a decent bench to sprawl out on, a big grassy area to scatter outdoor cushions and of course a traditional picnic bench on a patio hosting a fire pit for having friends round for a bit of BBQ action.

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For the most part I’d keep things bright and cheerful. I’d favour wild flowers to inject some colour and a tree or two for providing shade should be get a really hot and sunny summer. Other than that the plants would be minimal, I want something that can look after itself- mowing a lawn is about as far as I go!

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Being the cat lady that I am and a lover of the un-expected I would break with tradition slightly for a bit of a feline theme in the form of a carefully pruned bush (oh hush!). I’m not sure I could manage that by myself though, I’d call in the expert services from someone like South East Tree Care to keep my kitty in tip-top condition.
What would your dream garden contain and where do you find your inspiration?

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Posted in inspiration

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The Neutral Palette with Beauties Factory

07th November 2015
Once upon a time I had a “more is more” approach to makeup and plastered my face (eyes especially) with the brightest colours I could find. These days I take a much tamer approach, call it getting old but I much prefer a more polished approach- the majority of my eyeshadows these days are of a golden or bronze hue and a swish of coloured liner is as adventurous as it gets.

I was recently sent an eyeshadow palette from Beauties Factory* which promised to deliver every shade of nude I could possibly be missing. I was a little sceptical though, at £12.49 for 28 shades I wasn’t sure how good it would be and whether it’d end up sit gathering dust like so many palettes have done before it.

My fears about this palette were largely un-founded. Inside a matte black case lies 28 shades of nude, 13 with some shimmer and 15 matte. Some of the colours look a little chalky in the palette but applied with a careful hand and a bit of blending the overall effect is comparable with brands that cost a fair amount more. As with any product that offers such a large selection of shades there are a couple in there that I probably won’t touch but I’ve reached for this set pretty much every day since it has arrived and would recommend it as a good value addition to any kit.

You can get yours online here…I’m really intrigued by some of the other products on offer, largely the blusher palette so please do let me know if you’ve tried it as I might have to make a sneaky purchase.

Has your go-to makeup look changed as you’ve got older or is it just me?

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Posted in beauty, review

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I don’t believe in Humans

06th November 2015
Going back about ten years (totally showing my age here) I was obsessed with slogan tees. As I matured and developed my own sense of style these gradually faded out of my wardrobe until recently. Everywhere I go lately there seems to be a t-shirt I want to add to my collection and my most recent addition is going down a storm on my social media and in real life.

Jeans c/o Glamour Outfitters via e-tailPR | Tee: Pull and Bear | Trainers: Converse

Pull and Bear has been a favourite place of mine to shop since I first discovered them on holiday three years ago. They’ve since opened a store in Bristol which is excellent news as it means anything I see when I’m away I can still pick up once I’m home. I saw this tee in Spain last month and really regretted not buying it at the time. Still, I knew Cabot Circus wouldn’t let me down and I managed to finally get my mitts on it three weeks after arriving home although it did cost a few quid more with the euro/pound conversion but still a bargain at £9.99. Right now Pull and Bear have an epic selection of retro and quirky tees so if you’re a fan then head on down to a store of visit the website before I buy them all myself.
Combined with these flared jeans this outfit is pretty much an exact replica of what I wore every day to sixth form. These days I reserve this kind of attire for when I’m working from home on all things blogging or just popping to the shops but I still love the comfort and style of it a lot.

I’ve ditched skinny jeans lately in favour of flared styles, I find them endlessly more comfortable and easier to dress up or down with a variety of tops and footwear choices. This pair is pretty extreme in the flare department and I love them. I hadn’t heard of Glamour Outfitters up until a few weeks ago but it seems that they too are a fan of the flare and offer a great selection in denim and cord (my next purchase) at really excellent prices. The pair I’m wearing here retail at £29.99 and they are a really lovely quality denim and very good fit.

If like me you want to learn more about the brand you can follow them on their social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram and between now and 31st December 2015 you can claim 20% off of your order with the code 20OFF

Has your style changed over the years? The more cringe-worthy the story the better!

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Posted in life stuff, outfits

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Pamper your Puss with Make Them Roar (and giveaway)

05th November 2015
It’s not just humans that deserve to get spoiled at Christmas, our pets deserve some pampering too so over the coming weeks I’ll also be popping up gift inspiration for our furry friends. I’m kicking off with the perfect shop for fashion forward felines- Make Them Roar
Stocking unique pieces from artisan manufacturers from around the world, including exclusive leather collars, brass charms, a range of catnip and valerian, the Incomplete Book of Cat Names and an exciting range of alpaca and felt toys this is the perfect place to pick up a gift for cats and cat lovers alike. I’ve got my eye on the mixed herb set (pictured above), a couple of toys and at least one new collar for Mae and the Incomplete Book of Cat Names looks like a brilliant read.
Make Them Roar are also giving one lucky reader of my blog (well, reader’s cat really) the chance to win a gorgeous collar by LA Based Ike & Stella worth £17.00! To enter just follow the simple steps below and make sure to check out the t&c too. Winner can select from one of the four colours shown above (Mae says yes please to the white coral).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

T&C:

By entering the competition you agree to these terms and conditions:

The prize consists of: 1 x embroidered collar Ike and Stella from the range displayed in the online shop on makethemroar.com
This competition closes on 19/11/2015
As a condition of entry to this prize draw, you are subscribing to the free Roar newsletter. If you would like to un-subscribe from either, you will have the opportunity to do so when you receive the first newsletter and every newsletter thereafter through the ‘un-subscribe’ option.
Entrants must be 18 years or older.
The winner will be picked at random from all eligible entries. Winners will be notified by email.
If we do not receive a response from the winner within one week after notification, we will draw an alternative winner.
The winner must supply a shipping address. The prize will be shipped directly to the winner, free of charge worldwide.

Good Luck!

Posted in christmas, competition, giveaway

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