Tescouture

Hey hey!

Bear with me tonight, I have a banging headache so I apologise in advance for any grammatical errors or general rabbiting. Apologies also for the glaring absence of Tuesday tips. In keeping with alliteration, for one week only, it shall become Thursday tips! And in the event of an emergency, Thriday tips!

Anywho, the reason I couldn't share any Tuesday tips was because I was in London for the day. I spent the evening at the preview of Tesco's new F&F Couture range. I literally didn't know what to expect as when I got the event invite, they wouldn't tell me what it was for, only that it was 'worth it'! I was slightly surprised when I got there to find it was Tesco. But I put my pre-conceptions to one side (as well as my fantasies that it might've been a secret 'Luella's back!!!' party or something... I have an over-active imagination.)

I went upstairs to the showroom to meet the team and check out the range, and was delighted to see some WAH Nails artists there, as I had been whingeing on Twitter about the state of my nails! Check my Twitter for a Twitpic, will post properly tomorrow! More on WAH soon, but for now, back to Tesco!



The big deal was that Tesco have launched a couture range, priced between £40-£140. The clothes were noticeably great quality, with silk and sequins being key themes in the collection. I'd say it was aimed at the 26-40 age bracket and admittedly it wasn't to my taste. Here are a few items:



Being a bargain lover at heart, I was far more interested in the F+F trend collections. I don't live near a Tesco that stocks clothes so it really was a suprise to see how cheap it all was! Dresses and playsuits were generally no more than £20 (except the cute silk dress below, which I just saw online), and most tops were under £10. There was a lot of nautical going on and I spied some cute Miami inspired pieces (for some reason I LOVED the green hotpants, but they aren't available online just yet!) The key new trend on the way is Ibiza inspired, so lots of fluorescent colours and bright prints.



It was a really good night, I enjoyed meeting some other bloggers including the lovely Fritha Louise from The Fish Tank, whose outfit looked super cool, Sherin from Hi Fashion, Tor of Fabfrocks and Jenny The Style PA. I also saw the wonderfulMarian Kihogo, but was deep in conversation & by the time I'd shut up, she'd gone, so I was sad I didn't get to meet her!


(Personalised cupcakes, Fritha & Jenny getting their nails did, me trying on the 'star' of the couture collection - The £140 Pagoda Dress! Note my soaking wet feet. Worst decision EVER to wear my hole-y suede brogues!)
To conclude... It will be interesting to see how the F&F Couture collection is received. Tesco as a brand is synonymous with value for money. People that shop there are looking for low prices, so whether they can attract the big spenders in the first instance will be their first test. I can understand them wanting to shake things up a bit and do something unexpected, and it's great that they're the pioneers of this supermarket couture concept. But time will tell whether or not Tesco has that covetability factor that will prize women away from the established quality fashion retailers.

As for F&F's main trend line, it does what it says on the tin - it's on trend and below budget. I didn't realise it was all available to buy online, so if you're like me and don't live near a big Tesco, it's definitely worth a click!

So what do you make of the F&F couture collection and trend range?

♥

Today's outfit!

Hello again!

I've had a bit of a hellish day today. I went to work and got a headache so bad that even my usual 'trick' of downing 3 painkillers couldn't cure. (Probably won't be adding that one to my Tuesday Tips!)

I remembered that when that happens it usually means there's a storm coming, and I was right! So now the storm has happened, I'm feeling dandy again at last. It's called 'Barometric Pressure Sensitivity' apparently. When I was a kid, if there was a storm coming, I'd get a nosebleed. Hideous!

Anyway today I wore a hell of a lot of Topshop's latest offerings. Sorry that I look a bit like a sexual predator in this picture. Undressing you with my eyes was actually not my intention!




(Shirt - eBay, Unitard - Topshop, Shorts - Topshop, Espadrilles - Topshop, Ring Watch - Claire's)

I'm also wearing my bracelet for Fashion Target's Breast Cancer's 'Wear your support' campaign, which launched today. Check out the site if you want to wear your support and buy your own bracelet (Only £2!), and do have a gander the various high street and designer's charity creations while you're there! I think the bracelet and pins will be available at all of the participating stores, including Topshop.

I'm off to watch the movie 'cloudy with a chance of meatballs'. Incidentally, I also had meatballs for dinner!

Hope you've had a pain-free monday!
♥

Models Own review

Morning all!

Models Own sent me some products last week to try out, so after a weekend of rigorous trials, here's the scoop!

They sent 4 shades of nail polish. I wanted to test them out all at once so I created a sensible hand and crazy hand!




The nail varnishes are a fiver and come in stylish chunky glass bottles, and I found that the big cap makes it a lot easier to apply.

Purple Grey - I loved this shade. It looks more brown in the pictures, but it has a lovely Grape tone in it. It was a thick and creamy formula, which made it really easy to control while applying.

Nude Beige - The delicate shade is beautiful and is clearly going to be one of their bestsellers for Spring/Summer, but it wasn't for me. Nude shades don't suit me. It was the same consistency as Purple Grey so went on with no bother.

Dream Lilac - I loved this candy shade, and I'm not gonna lie, a small bit of me did want to eat it. I'm not sure if it was because I was trying to do my left hand, but I found this tricky to apply. The consistency was a bit thinner than the others, so I had to start over a couple of times. Eventually I go there and it dried quickly with a lovely smooth finish.

Hot Pink - This shade is probably more Coral than Pink, and that's a good thing! It was the wateriest formula of all of the shades, and didn't go on too evenly. After a few coats, it looked perfect though and has a nice glossy finish.

What I love about these block colour shades and the glossy finish is that they create a really plasticy look, if that makes sense! I put the shades to the test by doing some housework. I scrubbed the cooker and did some washing up (washing up is like Kryptonite to my 17 nail polish! It never survives it). I'm happy to report that Models Own passed the test with flying colours! No chips.

I also tested out some Eyeshadow in Jade Green (£5). I've had a few Barry M eyeshadows like this one and have always ended up with unwanted glitter all under my eyes, but this Models Own one went only where I wanted it to, which was a surprise! I don't really wear eyeshadow because I always find it looks good for a while then goes all creasey and rubbish. This one survived a busy Saturday shift at Topshop, and looked almost perfect at the end of the day. Slightly faded but no creases at all!



Finally I tried their eyeliner. The Shade was Marine Blue which didn't really suit me, but the colour lasted very well and the amazing thing is that not only does it have a smudger on the end but it has an in-built sharpener on the lid! I think that's such a nifty feature, especially seeing as my current eyeliner is so blunt it's just this scratchy little stump. When my next student loan comes in, I'm definitely ordering this in Black. I can't believe it's only £5!

What strikes me about the products I've tried is that they just make looking good easier. The nail polish lasts, so you won't look all chipped and scruffy the next day. Or even the day after. The eyeshadow is easy to use and stays put. The eyeliner is built to be perfectly sharp every time you use it. Best of all, for what you get, the prices are a bargain. There's all kinds of deals on the site (3 Nail Varnishes for £12... Free 6-way nail buffer with your first order!) so you're getting style AND substance - for a reasonable price!

So that's the deal! Have you tried any Models Own products? What did you think?

♥

Ps - I'm saving some of the other products I received for my next giveaway, so stay tuned! x

You know the 'drille!

A bit of cringey hungover wordplay for you there!

I am obviously referring to Espadrilles! Topshop are selling these adorable floral pairs £12 at the moment!



I bought the black ones. A word of warning if you do decide to snap up a pair - they come up quite small, so if you're a half size like me, go with the bigger size.

And I'll quickly share a bit of a Topshop 'insider' tip while we're on the subject, because a lot of people don't know this one. If you're buying off the internet, and decide to return everything on the receipt, they can refund your postage (if you ask)! It's really handy if you want to buy something but don't want to risk spending a fiver on the postage if it isn't right!



Hope you've enjoyed your weekend! I had my friend Jen round last night for Cheeky Vimto and a gossip. It was loads of fun. I've also been road-testing some Models Own products, so I'll be giving you the scoop on that tomorrow!

Until then,

♥

Miracle Product: Collection 2000 Perfecting Minerals

(This is not a sponsored post - I'm just the enthusiastic type)

Today I bought the best face makeup product I've found in ages. I discovered it through my friend Jen, who showed me it in the club toilet one night when we were out on the razz. I was amazed. Probably a little bit more than I am now, as I was... well, pissed.

I never really use face powder, but this stuff is just awesome. It is like... new skin, in powder format! You apply the powder over just moisturiser with the little brush included, and it gives a fuller coverage than any foundation I've tried. I've got a horrible pink uneven skin tone, but after using this powder it looks perfect. I'm not really spot prone, but it is nice to know it's good for my skin anyway, seeing as it's mineral based.

I took a before and after pic, but it doesn't really do it justice. All I can say is, next time you're in Boots, get to the Collection 2000 section pronto and try it out, you won't believe the result. Oh, and it's only £4.99!!!




I just get so excited when you find something that's cheap but really works!

Have you got any miracle products??

I hope you all have some nice weekend plans. I'm going out with friends tomorrow night, and in the meantime road-testing some Models Own products for an upcoming review!

Bonsoir ♥

Baby it's fact!

A trillion months ago, I was given the 'Gorgeous Blogger Award' by both Rachel from I ♥ That and Fritha Louise from The Fish Tank. Thank you so much, girls and sorry for the beyond belated response! The rules state that I must now tell you 7 interesting things about myself. So here are some fun and not-so-fun facts about me!



1. I have 'Hyper Mobility Syndrome'
This pointless condition basically means my joints are really flexible, and not even in a cool way like 'I can do the splits!' I just have really bendy hands and arms! Bizarre!

2. I watch everything with subtitles
I have to watch everything with subtitles (films and tv shows). I don't know why, but it just helps me concentrate better. Luckily my boyfriend is the same way (what are the chances?)! I've done it since I was young and I think it's why I'm really good at spelling, because I don't just watch the TV, I read the TV too! I've actually thought about being a subtitler (is that a word?) before because I think I'd be good at it. My pet hate is spelling/grammar errors on subtitles! Whoever does the Hollyoaks ones must be drunk on the job, I'm sure of it.

3. I survived a crash with a double lorry on the M25
A few years ago, I was going to see Blink 182 with my ex, my brother, his girlfriend and my mum (she loves Blink!) The lorry in the lane to the left of us started to indicate and my mum realised we were in his blind spot and he couldn't see us. She sped up to get out of his path because he was going to crush us against the central reservation, but we didn't quite speed up in time. The lorry clipped the back of our car and spun us round so we were stuck to the front of it and shunted us up the motorway for a few hundred yards before finally stopping. The car was written off, but we were all unharmed (physically). Since that day, I believe in guardian angels. The police said it was a miracle we were all fine. I lost my dad and all my grandparents when I was younger, so it's nice to feel like they are protecting me. And since that day, I truly believe they are.

4. I used to LOVE S club 7!
I used to totally obsess over these guys, and got to meet them when I was about 11, which was basically a dream come true, haha! I cringe a bit now, but they had some wicked songs, don't deny it!

5. Hand cream is my religion.
I am a hand cream addict. I'm using one by Dove at the moment and it gets a big thumbs up!

6. Eff Fashion... I want to be a zookeeper!
Well, not quite. Although I'm studying to be a Fashion Journalist, a career with animals is where my heart lies. I'm t0o squeamish to be a vet (trust me, I did work placement at a vets surgery *shudder*.) but I'd love to invent a Cat Hotel or something. A five, no, SIX star cat boarding place. It would be so cool! I think I'll save that dream until I've retired or have had children and fancy an easier life. Until then, fashion is my plan B!

7. I am very broody.
I have been so broody for a couple of years now. There's no way I'll have a baby yet, I'm a firm believer in making some cash first before I start making babies. I've been with Alex almost 5 years and we talk about babies quite a lot, which is lovely. If the stereotype is correct, most guys would run for the hills at the slightest mention of babies! I want a baby girl and I'm going to call her Poppy. I really don't want a boy so if that happens, I'll probably just switch it with someone else's baby. Ha! I'm joking! If my firstborn is a boy, I am coming back to delete this post!


So there we go... That's me... I feel all naked now!! Can you please tell me 1 interesting thing about you to redress the balance here?

Love ♥

Cheap thrills

Bon soir, all!

Not much going on in my world so I'll keep it brief (EDIT: Just finished the post, and as usual... I failed to keep it brief)! Oh, except I was supposed to get my Eiffel tattoo re-coloured today but the tattoo place was running behind and couldn't do it in the end :(

Anyway, just thought I'd share a few mega bargains I bought in Primark yesterday. I hardly ever buy anything from there these days but I am so skint that it's about the only retail therapy I can afford at the moment!

First up are these adorable jersey bra sets (they come with matching knickers) - only £3 each! I'm making them my pyjama bras because they aren't underwired so are super comfy. And I just love the retro little ruching detail and halterneck! Tres Katy Perry!


Next up is a sleeveless plaid shirt, which in hindsight looked a bit better in the fitting room. It was only £8 though, and I think it'll be quite a versatile buy. You can't really see it but I'm wearing my awesome new charcoal grey unitard from Topshop. Old-school readers might remember my previous unitard woes, so I'm pleased to finally have a perfect one that was a reasonable price (with staff discount)! It's much better quality than the American Apparel one too. I must say, unitards make a great alternative to leggings because you don't spend half the time hoisting them up!


And this cute floral top for £4, which I figured was perfect for wearing during/after a Dominos Pizza binge!


Have you bought any mayjah bargains lately??

I'll be back tomorrow (am making a conscious effort to post a blog every day this week!) See you then!

TTFN ♥

Tuesday Tips!

Bonjour!

Welcome to the second instalment of my Tuesday Tips!

Today's tip is a makeup tutorial for getting that clumpy-but-in-a-good-way fake eyelash look. It is a kinda haphazard process (it involves talcum powder, need I say more!) but that's the fun of it! Look what it did to my lame little lashes (enlarge!) (That's me asking you to enlarge photo, not explaining further what my lash trick achieved! Ha!):



Here is my first ever Imovie. It has taken me about 2 hours to make, and is a tad ridiculous and a bit fast in places but I did my best! Also, I can't explain why it decided to zoom in on the final still image in such a creepy haunting way, but it did. So let's try and embrace it! You've been warned...



(BTW, I used my new mascara I bought in Primark today for £2.)

I hope you liked my Tuesday tip and have had a nice day. Mine's been fun but I've been really tired today because I slept really badly. I had a nightmare I accidentally maimed a bunny :( It was horrendous!

On a happier note, I'm finally getting my eiffel tower tattoo re-inked tomorrow as it lost loads of colour while it was healing, so wish me luck! I'm going to buy some numbing cream in Boots because it hurt SO much last time!

xxx

Charity shop finds!

Hey all, hope you had a lovely weekend! Mine was average... I watched An Education on Saturday night. I wasn't bowled over by it... I didn't like the main character Jenny at all. Visually, I really liked the film. I do love 60s style. If I could go back to any era, the 60s would probably be it!

Speaking of 60s style, I've come across some fabulous modette looking things on my various charity shop trawls lately.

Firstly, this lovely wool jacket with checked lining. I am quite into the androgynous look at the moment so I've been teaming it with jeans and flats as opposed to skirts or dresses.


Secondly, I found this adorable leather weekend bag today for... £1!!! I found it in The Hospice Shop, Canterbury's only charity shop that hasn't realised how 'in' it is and therefore increased the prices 500% (SO annoying. Who in their right mind is going to pay £4.50 for a grotty old t-shirt from Primark?!)


I had a little rummage in the pockets, hoping to find a £50 note (naturally), and instead found a key for the bag's lock, attached to a little hand-stamped label. My first thought was 'how cute!'. My second thought was, 'Wow, that's actually pretty damn useful!' I'm always hyper-stressed about pick pockets etc when I'm travelling... Not anymore!


Have you found any charity shop bargains lately??

Ooh, by the way, I also picked up some important ingredients for tomorrow's Tuesday Tips DIY in the charity shop! Watch this space...

♥

Swatch this space!

On Wednesday Alex & I went to watch Shutter Island at the cinema with some friends. It was amazing! I totally recommend it. I thought it would be 'scary' but it wasn't at all. I think we're watching An Education tonight, which I'm really excited about. Has anyone seen it? Is it worth the hype? Anyhow, here's what we wore. I did my usual thing of getting carried away as soon as the sun comes out and ended up freezing my butt off in the cinema. Alex was a tad more sensible...



(Alex: Jacket - Blue Inc, Shirt - Gap, Tee - h&m, Jeans - Topshop, Beanie - h&m, Battered shoes - Vans! // Me: Top - Topshop, Jacket - Topshop about 10 years ago, Leggings - h&m, Sandals - Topshop, Tote - Mighty Thrifty, Sunglasses - I found them at uni!)

I bought Nylon yesterday and I have to say it's the best one I've read in ages! It was the probably the fattest Nylon I've ever read. Their Swatch editorial really caught my eye, and I realised that Nylon are taking part in that Swatch competition (I saw it in Dazed too), where all the magazines have to do an editorial including the new (or old?) 80's Swatch watches, and then one gets voted the winner. My vote went to Nylon. Such awesome and imaginative styling! Who'd have thought to use Swatches as braces? Or create a cage skirt with them? Madness!

I tried to scan the pictures in but I dropped my scanner the other day and think I basically killed it... So I've nicked the pics from the Swatch site. They're pretty small so I do apologise. Go and buy Nylon if you want to see the bigger picture (accidental wordplay there! The best kind!)





Awesome!!

Hope you all have a great day. I have no plans, which is my favourite kind of day :)

xo

Tuesday Tips!

Hey hey!

Long time no type! I went to stay with my mum and sister by the sea for a couple of days and had a lovely time! I trooped round the 20-or-so charity shops Bexhill has to offer yesterday but only managed to find one cool thing (a button up wool jacket - pics tomorrow perhaps!)

So I thought it might be fun to have a bit of routine to the blog, so welcome to my new feature - Tuesday tips! Every Tuesday I will share with you either a DIY or hair/beauty tip. Today I couldn't decide which to share, so as an introductory offer, you shall receive a DIY and beauty tip!

Tip 1. From Camel-toe to Crop-top in 1 snip!

This is a pretty madcap DIY tutorial, but may be of interest to someone! I've had this strange and immensely high legged swimsuit that I found in a charity shop knocking around for a couple of years. I never wear it because of discomfort issues, so recently had the brainwave to turn it into a crop. I snipped across the crotch, put it on over a bra, and folded the pointy material back on itself, tucking it in my bra! I know it sounds bizarre, but it saves hemming it, and if you cut straight across in the first place the material might go all rolled up and crap. So if you spot any vintage swimwear with potential, give it a go!






Tip 2. The slightly trampy guide to wearing the finest foundation - for free!
It takes a lot of guts to admit this to you guys because it is pretty shameful! But these services are a dream for poor students like myself! Here goes...The Christmas before last, I decided I'd invest my Christmas money in a quality foundation. Off I went to Fenwick's, where I hit the Mac counter. I was umm-ing and ahh-ing over their Studio Fix foundation, because it looked good but I wasn't sure whether it would disappear after an hour or so. I mentioned my quandary to the sales assistant, and she proceeded to fill up a little pot of it for me to test at home. For free! It lasted me about 4 weeks!

I wasn't convinced by that foundation in the end, but read that Lancome do a good one. So I went to Debenham's. The same thing happened there! They filled a little bottle up for me because I was unsure whether it would irritate my skin because it was a full coverage foundation. From that point, whenever my freebie was running low and I happened to be in a different town, I'd hit the Mac/Lancome counter feigning uncertainty! I'm not proud of this, but for the first time in my life I was using top-notch foundation and not even having to pay a penny! I survived for about a year doing this, then I started feeling a bit guilty. Anyway, the foundations weren't perfect enough for me to commit to spending £20+ them otherwise I would've (honest!).

I'm on the straight and narrow these days, enjoying a Barry M foundation I actually paid money for. But I thought I'd share my tip for those that don't know that you can try out these pricey foundations for free! Whether you choose to exploit the system like I did is entirely up to you. I'm not here to judge! And I hope you aren't either..!

I hope you enjoyed my Tuesday tips! I'm off to watch the last half of Avatar with Alex. We started it last night and I'm loving it! I have a really bad headache though so might end up switching it off. :(

Love,

xo

Spice up your life!

((Congrats to Hannah, who won my Reebok comp! Thanks to all who entered!))

I abused the good old Boots 3 for 2 offer today and bought some lipstick and nail varnishes! I bought some red lipstick because now I have dark hair for the first time in years, I can actually wear it without looking half dead (like when I was blonde) or just clashy - in a bad way (when I had red hair). I also bought some black nail varnish and that lovely mint green shade that everyone's wearing right now!



Here's what I wore this evening. I think this is the debut of my union jack dress on the blog! I was so inspired by that awesome picture of Laura Fraser, I just had to get one!



(I uploaded this pic to my Lookbook page, feel free to 'hype' it! I'm very new to that place and not entirely sure I like it...)

I hope you've had a great week and have some nice plans lined up for the weekend! We've got friends over for dinner and a movie tomorrow and then I'm going home to visit my family for mother's day on Sunday. My little sister is going to cook dinner (I MIGHT help...) and then we're going to see Alice in Wonderland 3D! I have a pretty OTT reaction to 3D films (things look like they're about to touch you!!) so I hope I don't end up making my mum cringe on her special day! Haha!

LOVE!

xo

Competition + outfits!

Before I bombard you with images, Reebok have been in touch with a wonderful offer for you and I. They clearly caught wind of my recent calorie crimes and are coming to my rescue, giving me the chance to trial their new Easytone trainers (that claim to tone your bum and legs while you walk - perfect for exercise-phobes like myself!) They're also allowing me to offer one of you the chance to try the trainers with me! You'll receive a pair of Easytone trainers, a workout outfit and a gym bag! If it sounds good to you, just leave me a comment saying you want in!

So anyway, tonight I finally dealt with my escalating eyebrow situation. I always forget to do it until one day I realise how bad they've gotten and can't believe I didn't really notice before! I did have a clearer 'before' picture on my camera, but it was a bit too clear for my liking... I don't want to be responsible for any projectile vomiting. So thank god for the murky joys of Photobooth!



The reason I hardly ever pluck is because my pain threshold is non-existent! So I mainly used Veet wax strips this time. More satisfying & less time consuming! With plucking, I usually put all my effort into the first eyebrow and then rush through the second one because I get bored!

Earlier today, I went charity shop shopping and found a cute Daisy print vintage swimsuit for £1.50. I tried it on tonight and got so carried away with the vintage vibes, I rolled my fringe too! Excuse my boss-eyed expression. I'm not sure what went wrong there!





Here's a couple of outfits from the week so far. Picture one was when I was sports bra shopping (I swear just putting those damn things on is enough of a workout in itself!) Picture 2 was from a little trip to Bluewater. Not the best picture quality, I'm afraid!


(Jacket - Topshop, Cardi - Primark, Jeans - Topshop, Shoes - Charity Shopped // Faux fur - h&m, t-shirt dress - h&m, Brogues - charity shopped)

I hope you've had a lovely week so far!

xoxo

Slouchy Sunday

So... I pretty much lost all self respect on the snack front last night. I had my friend Jen over and we had a little sleepover, which was great fun. Unfortunately it was a double-edged sword, as I did manage to demolish a HUGE bag of Doritos, some Rhubarb crumble, Mini Eggs (my biggest weakness!), AND a Cheese toastie! We were drinking 'Cheeky Vimto' too (a mix of Port & WKD - but we ad-libbed and used fizzy Vimto and Port instead!). I think my calories must've exceeded 3000 yesterday. Shameful!

I am trying to lose a bit of weight at the moment (not a silly amount or anything but I've been carrying an extra stone or so, ever since I moved in with Alex a couple of years ago! Too many snack-filled nights in front of the TV..!) I'm going to start over tomorrow and get back on the straight and narrow. I took some positive steps last week... I bought a hula hoop and a sports bra! I'm very good at preparing to get fit, not so good at actually doing it! :)

Anywho, enough about my lardy lifestyle! Here's what I wore to disguise my post-binge bloating today! This nice baggy batwing top from h&m was just the ticket!






( Shoes - Lillywhites via charity shop, Jeans - Topshop, 'Clocket' - Urban Outfitters, Scarf - vintage )

As I mentioned in my last post, Alex has been away this weekend. I'm not a naturally tidy person (understatement alert) and I do kind of rely on him to keep me in check when it comes to keeping the flat tidy. But without him here, this little situation has arisen in the bedroom! Not to mention more clothes all over the bed! So when I post this, I am going to have to force the domestic goddess out of myself and sort it out! Eurgh... As soon as I'm earning enough money, I'm hiring a cleaner!



Have you had a nice weekend?!

xxx

Show and tell

[BTW, if you didn't enter my Style Compare competition to win £250 to spend on the site, you have til the end of the weekend! Get involved, the prize is epic!]

Hey all, happy Friday!!

I haven't been going into uni for a while, as they're giving me a separate project brief due to some mitigating circumstances (not mine, my project partner's). Therefore the current lectures aren't relevant to me. So I decided to use the extra time productively and for the first time in months, I've dusted off my eBay account and listed a few items!

Here are the items in question if you're interested in giving me some pocket money!






I edited the last picture today using Pixlr, a site I wish I'd heard about years ago. It's basically a slightly simplified, free version of Photoshop (you don't even need to register!). Perfect for those that can't afford the real deal! Here's what it looks like...



I heard about the site via Style Sample Magazine. Have you heard of it before? I only found it today and it's an online magazine/blog especially for bloggers! The site and magazine are full of useful articles such as 'Fashion Bloggers and PR - Maintaining a relationship' (tips on what to expect from/what to deliver to PR's, 'The etiquette of comment sections', making money from advertising, creating a Facebook page for your blog... There's tons of really useful stuff so I thoroughly recommend it!

Here's a link to the current issue of their online magazine, but there's lots of cool stuff on the site itself too. I hope you find something useful on there like I did!

Do you have any nice plans for the weekend? Alex left a couple of hours ago to go and stay with his friends at his parent's flat by the sea for the weekend. So I have a lonely night ahead! I'm hopefully having a friend staying over tomorrow night which will be good fun.

I am just a bit nervous about staying alone tonight... I recently lost my house key and I'm scared I left it in the front door and someone has nicked it and is going to rob and/or murder me! Probably unlikely and a touch melodramatic but still... Hopefully Roxy will protect me, she's got a fierce scratch!

Love! xxx

Summer loving

Today's glorious sunshine prompted my latest purchase. I've seen this playsuit in a few mags and was delighted to find it in my local Miss Selfridge store. It looks really vintage and like something out of Katy Perry's wardrobe so I instantly loved it! It makes me fantasise about summer picnics and frolicking on the beach! After today's weather, that doesn't seem like too much of a distant dream!

Bring on the summer!



Are you excited about summer? Are you lucky enough to have a nice summer holiday planned? I think I'm going to Cornwall with my family, but knowing our luck it'll be pouring with rain!

♥

Versus, you make me curse-us my purse-us.

Behold this vision of total frock-porn from Versus, Versace's junior diffusion collaboration with Christopher Kane. If my purse was home to more than coppers and Adios pills, I'd snap up the purple velvet dress almost instantly.

I learnt about this delicious collection on Style Bubble earlier on. Susie went to the Versus preview in Milan, getting up close and personal with the collection and taking some fab pictures. And if the girl has an ounce of sense, she'll have popped one of the dresses in her handbag and taken that, too! It's what anyone would've done, right? ...Right?! Just me then!*

(You should probably enlarge these. Blogger's 'large' image setting is nothing but a glorified thumbnail)





I just love the flirty but tough (fluff?) vibe of the collection, with the juxtaposition of frou frou silhouettes and the bondage style bodices. There's a lot more to it, so do check the rest of the pictures on Style.com, but it was mainly the rocking frocks I wanted to chat about.

I've been feeling a little disenchanted with what I've been seeing on the catwalks for Autumn/Winter so I'm pleased to have found a collection that has made my heart beat a little faster.

I'm going to go and make some pancakes now, and prepare myself for the new episode of Glee on tonight. Eek! Anyone else a big fat 'Gleek' like me?

Hope you have a lovely night! ♥

*Donatella - can I call you Donnie? - I'm just playing around, trying to raise a laugh or 2. Don't let my lolz-addiction put you off sending me my invite for next season, which I'm sure was totally on your to-do... Can't wait to hear from you. Ciao!