Wish list- Swatch at House of Watches

How many watches does a girl need? This is a question I have to ask myself every time I catch myself browsing one of the several sites I frequent to get my fix of wrist wear. I already have a rather large collection but upon a recent peruse of House of Watches I’ve found myself coveting a whole new aesthetic in the form of some new designs from Swatch.

Swatch is probably the first watch brand I remember showing an interest in (even pre-dating the “had to have it” Baby G). I’ve always loved their fun and funky designs and cool plastic straps. I recall being very envious when Mum was given a lovely pink Swatch watch for Christmas one year, one that has since come in to my posession- which reminds me I really need to get a new battery for it…

I love a brand that keeps consistent with their designs- they are instantly recognisable yet manage to evolve to fit in with current trends. I’m really taken with the hot pink glitter watch with sparkly dial for a fun and sporty vibe whereas the printed floral ones are great for jazzing up an otherwise dull outfit. It also looks like Swatch are going down a slightly sleeker line with their metallic pink and rose gold offerings- a grown up twist for those who can’t wear, or don’t like to wear a metal watch I suppose.

The watches are also affordable which is good news for me- I’m thinking perhaps my back to work treat to myself will be one of the designs I’ve featured above…I mean, I already own more than a dozen watches but who’s keeping count?

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When Jeans met Dress

It’s a long time since I last wore jeans and a dress together. The combination reminds me a bit of when trouser skirts were a thing (hello year 9 school uniform) anything similar since. I was browsing on the Monki website the other day- as I frequently do and happened across my last Christmas money purchase styled over a pair of skinny jeans and loved how it looked so I decided to throw caution to the wind and give it a go myself.

Dress: Monki (some sizes still in stock) | Jeans: New Look ((this style)) | Boots: Sarenza | Necklace: Hello Harriet

It’s not often I remember to take a photo of my jewellery, or actually remember to put any on for that matter but this necklace from Hello Harriet is totally worth sharing. I featured Harriet’s shop on the blog in the run up to Christmas and santa must have been reading because on Christmas day I found this necklace hiding in my stocking. It pretty much sums up how I feel about certain things right now but mostly I just love jewellery/clothing/anything with a touch of sarcasm and attitude. I so badly want to get Mae a matching collar tag, but her track record at keeping hold of a collar and it’s tags is poor to say the least and I can’t bear the idea of getting her one of these only for it to turn up squished out of all recognition in a nearby road like the last one did!

Oh, and this dress was a complete bargain by the way- £8! The Monki sale remains my favourite as I picked up so much for so little. New season stock is arriving fast and my wish list is at least as tall as I am…I just loved their oversized pieces and minimal aesthetic. I think it’s probably the one shop that completely sums up my current style and as soon as I’m back at work I’m planning a “well done” spree for getting to my goal.

Which shops sum up your style right now? Did anyone else fall victim to the trouser skirt? (Or am I completely showing my age here?!)

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Shut Up Now!

I might come across as quite a mild-mannered, perhaps even polite person online but get to know me in person and you will soon discover that I have an intolerant side too- a highly sarcastic one at that. On paper that looks pretty bad but I promise it isn’t! Everything is said with a touch of humour and it’s saved only for those who properly know and understand how I work. What I’m trying to say here is that it was little wonder that I was attracted to this “shut up now” slogan jumper in the Monki sale (and it’s a pretty epic sale- I got the jumper, a dress and a cardigan for the grand sum of £32 out of my Christmas money!) as my nearest and dearest will hear this phrase fall from my mouth pretty often…meant in the nicest possible way of course!

Jumper: Monki | Denim Dress: Primark (similar) | Boots: New Look (now only £13!) | Backpack: River Island (alternative)

You could (and I choose to) take the slogan as a bit of a positive affirmation too. A reminder to myself that I am no longer willing to listen to the gremlin that resides inside my head telling me I am not worthy of a happy and healthy life and that I am determined to silence it once and for all. January is the month where a huge number of people are embarking on weight loss plans and renewed promises to hit the gym and give up sugar/fat/alcohol. I’m not going to lie, it’s pretty hard to be around when you have an eating disorder and are essentially trying to do the exact opposite. I do sometimes feel like shouting “shut up now” at the masses. But we are all on different journeys in life so I am trying my best just to block it all out.

Which shops have impressed you most with their sales this season? Obviously for me it’s Monki for the most part but I also snapped up some brilliant bits in Zara, M&S and Office too.

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Time to #GetReadyWithRimmel

The other day another really exciting surprise package arrived from Rimmel London containing a selection of products to create a festive face of makeup. My party nights have been and gone and I have no plans for New Years Eve so I thought I’d pop together a super simple “home for Christmas” face of makeup to go along side some little product reviews.
All of the products in the package were ones I’ve been meaning to try for a while so I was really excited to get stuck in. The Wonderfull Mascara* promises full volume without the clumps and despite feeling incredibly “not there” thanks to it’s Argan Oil formulation it really does deliver on the volume front. It perhaps doesn’t add as much length as I would like but for a natural daytime look I’m a fan and my lashes feel pretty good for it!

The Kate Sculpting Palette* is something I’ve been meaning to pick up for a while now. I’m yet to dip my toe in to the contouring trend and to be honest I probably won’t but using this palette I did manage to get a bit more definition on my cheekbones and gave a lovely glow to boot. At £6.99 I think this is really good value too as you essentially get three cheek products in one.

We all know I’m pretty obsessed with lipstick at the moment and the Kate 15 Year Lipstick* in this beautiful nude shade is a welcome addition. Inspired by Kate Moss’ favourite reds and nudes this is a long lasting lipstick that applies like a dream. Perfect for looking like you’ve made a bit of an effort when actually you’re over full, in need of a nap and tired of watching crap TV over the festive season.

Probably my favourite product is the Magnifeyes Eye Contouring Palette*. Jam packed with a gorgeous array of neutral colours blend seamlessly to sculpt, shade and define the eye. There’s an easy to follow guide on the back of the palette to help you get your perfect look and there are endless combinations possible.

I’ve not been wearing eyeliner as much as I used to, I’m not sure why (other than my tendency to stab my eyeball which may have put me off) but it’s about time it returned. I’m really fussy about what liquid eyeliners I use and I’m always skeptical about trying a new one but the bold Liquid Liner* has impressed me. The ball tip to this liner looked scary but actually made application a breeze with no snagging. It’s waterproof and holds it’s promised shine well- without me ending it smeared around my face by lunch time.

Let me know what Rimmel products you’re loving right now- I’d say a good quarter of my makeup collection is made up of their stuff at the moment!

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Products sent for blog consideration by Rimmel. Post contains affiliate links.

Monki See, Monki Do

A couple of weeks ago, having cashed in the contents of our piggy bank (saving up all of your silver coins pays off, trust me!) Mum and I headed in to Bristol for a bit of self-indulgent retail therapy. I already knew exactly where I wanted to spend my cash and made a beeline for Monki as soon as we were off of the bus- well, after a coffee stop of course.
I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or not that Monki opened their second UK store in the fair city of Bristol. Already borderline obsessed with the brand the arrival of an actual store has ramped that up a notch and my wish list is out of control. Thankfully I managed to exercise some self restraint and left with just a couple of the many items I have my eye on- the rest I have earmarked for a Christmas money spend up!

Dress & Jumper both Monki | Boots: Long Tall Sally

I almost didn’t try this dress on. On the hanger it just looked a bit shapeless to me but I loved the print and with a bit of convincing I added it to my bundle for the changing room (and oh what changing rooms, nice job Monki!). The second I slipped this on I knew it was coming home with me, far from being the shapeless sack I had envisaged this dress drapes beautifully and I loved the midi length as well.

I also picked up this jumper which was an absolute bargain at £20. I intended both pieces to be separates but it turns out they also look pretty awesome layered up which means I’ve essentially bought three outfits for £45 as both the dress and jumper work well alone too.

I predict living in this outfit over the festive period, it’s warm and cosy and the dress has plenty of room for the inevitable festive food babies that will be occurring…the first of which is likely to be today as it’s Mum’s birthday and we’re off to an epic farm shop/restaurant for a celebratory lunch. Happy Birthday Mum!

Are there any shops that you’re currently obsessed with? I’m afraid you’re going to be seeing a lot more Monki on the blog in 2017!

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