FLOWER FIELDS

obsessing over:   amy sia flower fields laptop skin

Once in a while I find something new that I become completely, utterly obsessed with (as if that needed pointing out? Really? I think not). Usually some kind of store, item of clothing or accessory, I was pleasantly surprised when I found my mind racing to something a little different. Amy Sia Design. Need I say more?

After having a gander around a few online websites and browsing for products to purchase with my non-existenet funds, I came across Society6; a super cool website based in the US, retailing artwork in the form of all kinds of products. From totes to t-shirts, canvas and phone cases, I've truly found my new love. And it will be sticking around for some time. And Amy Sia's prints made it all even more lust-worthy! 

Amazing, bright coloured pieces to fill my heart with spring glee (is that a little bit too far?) and perk my trusty old MacBook up with a pop of print now we've entered April, and therefore practically spring/summer. Wishful thinking. I even ordered my Mum a similar print in a mug for Mother's day (top daughter) and my 'Flower Fields' piece is ridiculously beautiful to look at, I may even have to order a phone case in something similar to brighten up all my technology. 

Anyway, all of the products are quite affordable and delivery is surprisingly speedy! What's not to love? Amazing.

x

BABY BLUES

dreaming of:   zara baby blue mini city tote

I say dreaming of, I have already bought this handbag. And I'm still dreaming about it. *sigh*.

So a few posts back, I mentioned (subtly) how absolutely head over heels, heart pounding, throat thickening, in love I am/was with the 3.1 Phillip Lim Ryder cross-body bag in all its baby blue glory. I'm never usually one for a coloured bag - black seems to be my uniform nowadays - but when I saw THIS Zara gem and an absolute doppelgänger for the Phillip Lim beauty, I honestly couldn't resist. 

As soon as I saw this amazing dupe I knew it had to be mine within 10 minutes, which I'm aware sounds a little bit sad and like I'm a crazy, but I don't care. Admittedly it isn't leather and therefore in my mind I'm already dreading it falling apart a few years down the line after using it far too much (this is how in love with this handbag I am), but when a bag is this beautiful I cannot just walk away. End of. Especially when it's a fraction of the Phillip Lim price at £39.99.

Excellent work Zara, you've made my month already...and by the looks of your new collection you're going to be making my year (I can hear my bank balance crying already).

x

*image via Instagram here

LET'S TALK ABOUT SKIN, BABY

products:   no7 protect & perfect day & night cream   |   no7 protect & perfect serum   |   weleda skin food   |   weleda one step cleanser & toner   |   weleda baby face cream   |   weleda lip balm

Slightly different tone on the blog, I'm aware. But, as I celebrated my birthday a few days ago, it sunk into my brain that suddenly I'm really old (20, shock horror!) and that now its time to crank up the skin care regime. 

A few months ago, in my old age (ha!) I noticed that underneath my eyes were beginning to look not so smooth and baby-like as they had done previously. My skin is something which I've always battled hard to maintain, having always suffered from dry, sensitive skin, bouts of eczema and in my teenage years, spots. There has always been a part of me that was dissatisfied with my skincare regime but over the past year or so I seem to have stumbled across my miracle products. Enter No7 and Weleda goodness...

I'm by no means an expert, but in my head it's always better to use 'defence as the best form of attack' and so a few months ago when I noticed that small lines under my eyes were beginning to develop, I decided that having heard a lot about the No7 skin range, I decided I would give it a shot and see if I noticed any difference. After a month or so of using the serum along with the day and night cream, I began to slowly notice these horrific lines beginning to fade...winner. Still using the products to this day, my lines are truly fading and I love it! AND with the No7 products being hypo-allergenic, the range was soothing on my sensitive skin and for once in my skincare regime, didn't lead to my skin flaring up and getting angry - even better!

However for hydration, I've been sucked into the Weleda spell for a while now. Skin Food is my go-to product when I have dry patches on my face or body. Loved by Victoria Beckham and Adele (must be good...) Skin Food is the hydrating moisturiser of them all. Weleda's Baby face cream is what I use when my skin is more sensitive, as it has all natural ingredients and is super kind to skin. All of Weleda's products are from natural sources and along with No7, Weleda is one of the only brands I know I can trust! Their One Step Cleanser & Toner is amazing and makes cleansing ridiculously quick, especially at the end of a long day, and the Lip Balm is a treat for chapped lips during winter!

All of these lovely products are available both online and in store at Boots.

x

MULBERRY SS14

     

campaign:   mulberry ss14

REJOICE! Spring/Summer 14 campaigns and collections are slowly creeping in, full force. The thought of dresses, no tights and sunshine is enough to put a smile on anyones face (But quickly dampened by the temperamental British weather, no doubt). Either way, SS14 campaigns are what I look forward to pretty much all year round, rain or shine, and none more so than those of Mulberry (heart skips a beat)...

Flowers, ponies, and the sugar-sweet Cara D combine to make a very idyllic and British team. And of course, the iconic Mulberry handbags are the icing on the cake with variations on the classic Bayswater, as well as new designs and clutches that I can only dream about right now (hello empty bank account - thanks, Christmas!). Bright colours against a simple but perfectly Summery backdrop and some canine companions mean Mulberry is definitely a brand who I'm more than looking forward to lusting over in the coming season.

Speaking of SS14 campaigns, Miley Cyrus as one of the new faces of Marc Jacobs? Didn't see that one coming. I will keep my opinions on the matter to myself...ha!

x

*All images courtesy of Mulberry online

2014

lusting:   3.1 phillip lim cross body bag

Happy 2014! It may be January 6th and my New Years 'resolutions' may already be slowly slipping down the drain, but everyone loves a fresh start, don't they? I love New Year and even though 2013 was amaaaaze, I still welcome this year with open arms. 

New Years resolutions on the other hand I don't welcome (ha!). They're great if you need to desperately change something and by all means go for it if so, but I think that a new year is just nice to make small and sustainable lifestyle alterations. For example, this year I'm taking it upon myself to try and become generally more positive and letting what will be, be. C'est la Vie and all that! AND to start investment-buying a little bit more strategically instead of spending ridiculous money on lots of different items that I never even end up wearing. Happens to the best of us!

Anyway, enough rambling. Whilst I've been trying to escape the sales long enough not to get distracted by shiny, new and reduced coats, shoes and whatever else I can find, I've found myself my first major lust of 2014. Admittedly a very expensive lust, but I can only hope it'll be mine by the end of the year. Enter, the 3.1 Phillip Lim Ryder small cross-body bag in baby-blue. Dreamyyyyy stuff. Oh to stroke the soft leather and try and wear it with every item in my wardrobe, matching or not. I think I've found a new love...

x

CHRISTMAS

wearing: missguided feather dress   |   primark polo neck   |   ebay necklace   |   topshop floppy hat    

zara leather over-knee boots

ITS CHRISTMAAAAAS. Well, it was. And the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is my absolute favourite - family, friends, presents and copious amounts of cheese...What more could you ask for? (probably not to feel as glutenous and sick, but carpe diem and that). I was very spoilt, which always happens but my family are the type of folk who don't listen and just keep giving, but I can't complain as I got lots of lovely gifts and even though I feel like I don't need to eat until next Christmas, I had a great day! 

I'd been searching for a floppy hat for a VERY long time and Santa brought me this Topshop beauty (which may I add, I didn't take off all day, pah!). What are the chances? He was definitely listening this year! And even though I HATE post-Christmas sales and find it crazy that people are willing to que before the sun has risen for a bargain, I'll shamelessly admit that I spent the majority of Christmas eve scouring the Topshop online sale and managed to splurge without realising. But in my books, if it's reduced then technically I never spent anything. Wishful thinking...Expect a haul post soon!

Missguided were also a life-saver with this BEAUTIFUL feather swing dress for an amazing go-to. Because obviously, I couldn't find anything to wear Christmas day... 

Cheeky family photos, rubbish cracker prizes and ridiculous amounts of alcohol and food later, it's all done! All that fuss for one day! Until next year...

iFeliz Navidad! 

x

ACCESS ALL ASOS: SELFIE SCHOOL

Yes, yes, this post is probably a billion years later than what it should have been, but better later than never, right? You can thank my ridiculous iPhone for playing me around and my charger breaking over the last few weeks for that!

Anyway, Selfie School. Sounds like a place where aspiring Kim K's go to learn how to take the best shot of themselves and make themselves look great in photos, yes? Correct, that it was. But a lot better and with a few cakes thrown in to really get that Kimmy K look (hello, booty). As part of the Access All Asos Team 2013, the lovely folks at down Asos kindly chose me to be one of their students at Selfie School down at their Head Office in London, learning all of the tricks of the trade as to how to take the best images with your trusty old mobile (Mobile? Do people still use that word? Phone...).

As mentioned in my previous post, Photographer Extraordinaire Olly Lang was the teacher and had us taking photos of ourselves left, right and centre to explore how to get the best 'selfie' and how to use our phones in the most effective way. And this all occured in the week that 'selfie' was crowned 'Word of the Year'! Hurrah for the selfie and us narcissistic modern folk! (I'm not complaining...)

The infamous Asos catwalk...eek!

Cakes, mini Fish & Chips and copious amounts of selfie's later, the day was nicely rounded off with a tour of Asos HQ (ahhh!) and more cake. What could be better?

x

WINTER

wearing:   asos faux fur and sheepskin coat   |   primark polo neck jumper   |   primark checked trousers   |   asos loafers      

 river island necklace

Sorry, sorry, sorry. Bad blogger - no post in 2 weeks is not on, admittedly however life has been stupidly cray. Lots of exciting happenings (and sad...) over the past few weeks. As an Access All Asos Insider (tongue twister) the lovely folks at Asos invited me to attend the very exciting 'Selfie School' with super photographer extraordinaire Olly Lang, where I got to tour the wonderful Asos HQ and mingle with some lovely bloggers. Photos to come as soon as I can manage to fix my phone cable...sigh. Oh and I left my job, which is quite sad, but pastures new and all of that, eh? This beauty of a statement necklace was my lovely leaving gift. The girls have a very good eye for accessories I'd say!

Since I last posted winter has well and truly hit us and although I'm barely out enjoying the Christmas festivities which seem to be springing up everywhere (whoever said doing a degree was easy lied, I'm practically house-bound), it means I have full permission to whack out all the coats I own. Which seems to be a lot more than originally thought as I seem to have no storage space whatsoever in the flat. But still, OOOOOH coats. And this cheeky two-tone Asos number from a few years back in particular is still going strong. Faux fur and two-tone, whats not to love?

 Ps, lol at my pouty/miserable face. I promise I'm not this miserable in real life!

x

FUR AND FEATHERS

wearing:   ebay gilet   |   pins and needles playsuit   |   boohoo heels   |   topshop tee   |   mixed rings

Ebay is probably my favourite place for online steals, ever. Conjure up something you want in your head and 9 times out of 10 you'll probably find it somewhere in this online treasure chest for a ridiculously low price (way to glamourise ebay, huh?). I have no idea who or where my gilet came from (well I do...a factory somewhere in China, apparently) but I do know that I love it with my heart and soul and after purchasing a few weeks ago, I'm currently throwing it over anything and everything that I can find in my wardrobe that slightly matches. Chances are I'll be over it in a few weeks - thats just what I seem to do, ha! - but for now, soak up the fluffiness...

 vintage, ebay and primark rings (and a cheeky crotch shot...)

x

DENIM DENIMS

wearing:   zara coat   |   asos jeans   |   topshop speckled jumper   |   h&m shirt   |   primark necklace   |   primark fur collar   |   river island pumps   |   mulberry handbag

Denim, denim. A bit of a life saver, eh? The do it all piece for when you haven't the foggiest what to wear (this is all getting a little bit philosophical, no?). So why so passionate about denim lately, I hear you ask? WELL, if you're asking, the lovely folks over at Stylight have asked me to take part in a very exciting little blogger competition they're doing, made up of 20 bloggers from the 7 countries they work in competing on a national, then international level for a lovely final prize of an all expenses paid trip to Berlin Fashion Week in Januray (ooh, exciting). The first round (of 3) has a denim theme...hence the excitement.

 So if you have a Stylight account and fancy giving me a follow and a 'heart' on my denim concoction (ha!) feel free to be kind and do so here! Even if not, you can still have a gander around their wonderful site and a nosey at my profile! (But it'd be really nice to go to Berlin Fashion Week. Really nice...). 

AND Zara coat reduced to £29.99 - erm, Hello! Happy Lydia. 

Also, you can check out a little interview-y thing that I did for international shopping blog 'Shopping Unlike' a few weeks ago here (excitingggggg).

*All lovely photos courtesy of Hannah Colligan (Facebook here)

x

THINKING ABOUT... (MAINLY EXPENSIVE) STATEMENT NECKLACES

lusting (clockwise from top left):   zara stones and flowers necklace £29.99   

    lazy oaf unicorn necklace £57   |   zara fabric chain necklace £19.99   |   j.crew jewelled fan necklace £165     

 matthew williamson opulent necklace £495

Here we are again - my good friend 'the lust list'. A few posts ago I mentioned my crazy obsession for the statement necklace (goodbye pastels, hello to the blingiest neck you've ever seen). That obsession, it's fair to say, is well and truly growing every time I enter Zara (I'm getting to the point where I'm having to close my eyes and leave as soon as I enter, why so many nice things that my bank account doesn't want me to have?!). I'm resorting to my new best friend eBay to provide me with my medallion needs at the moment - poor student problems. But from the cheap(ish) and cheerful to the downright expensiiiive, the small to the grand, here's what I'm really lusting/needing in my current phase...

SEEING GREEN

wearing:   h&m knitted top   |   zara faux leather trousers   |   zara sheepskin coat   |   asos loafers |       zara checked scarf       marc jacobs watch

Green. Strange colour. The colour of these trousers immediately reminds me of my repulsive bottle green uniform, endured for a very long 5 years at school. But at the same time I can't help but love it - maybe in a heart-warming, endearing fondness kind of way? Ha. A bargain at £10 in Zara sale last year (sorry, old news but similar here), I immediately snapped these up in black too. I can't help but love a wallet-friendly leather look trouser! And with one of Zara's ah-mazing scarves from this season, school uniform memories are quickly fading. A very Zara themed outfit, no?

                                                                                                                                                                                     x                                           *Hannah Colligan photography, see more here and on Facebook woo!

SPIKES

wearing:   topshop jumper   |   primark corduroy pinafore   |   primark spike necklace   |   marc jacobs watch   |   zara ponyskin pumps

Ahoy there! Long time no speak...again, my apologies, I've been busy with uni and work etc. (with maybe a hint of procrastination on Pinterest thrown in there - it's just SO addictive!). I've also been super busy spending stupid amounts of money on statement necklaces, my new obsession. I've always had a soft spot for chunky, cheap jewellery but could never seem to find the perfect statement necklace, but now I seem to have too much choice if anything - not complaining! And Primark's most recent gems have certainly hit the spot, including this new, sparkly (if not a little bit dangerous) number. Zara have some fab pieces in too, here!

Thrown with some Hugh Hefner-esque pony skin slippers, studded dream! 

x

*Hannah Colligan photography (see her work here and on Facebook!)