Beauty. Fashion. Lifestyle.
Archive for September, 2014
Highcross Autumn Fashion Fix
0Autumn is my favourite time of year for so many reasons… the weather, the colours of the trees, Halloween, Bonfire Night, the cosy nights in, the homely cooking, and of course the fashion! So, when I found out that Leicester’s biggest shopping centre, Highcross, was putting on an Autumn Fashion Fix catwalk show, I booked my tickets straight away!
My mum and I headed into town this morning for the 11:30am show, and we were lucky enough to get front row seats. Everyone who’d booked seats also got a little goody bag which was nice.
The show itself was really enjoyable. There were six models in total, four female and two male, and the show was split into six scenes – The Cosmo Edit, Faux Fur, Tapestry Folk, Shades of Red, New Pastels, and Metallics. Every single scene featured some really gorgeous pieces, but the Metallics section was my favourite, as it mixed colours and textures that I love. Think leather biker jackets and chunky heels, mixed with gunmetal sequins.
Reiss Semi Sheer Embroidered Top £110 / Reiss Wide Leg Culotte Trousers £129 / Red Herring Ivory Faux Fur Coat £79 / Reiss Rose Gold Strappy Stiletto £139
River Island Fluffy Knit Jumper £30 / River Island Reptile Faux Leather Miniskirt £28 / River Island Plastic Origami Necklace £12 / Miss Selfridge Faux Fur Gilet £55 / Jasper Conran Ivory Maribou Cossack £40 / River Island Taupe Suede Ankle Boot £50
Karen Millen Floral Tapestry Dress £199 / Karen Millen White Pleated Front Cotton Shirt £110 / Karen Millen Black and Floral Print Scarf £99 / Karen Millen Lace Black Shoeboot £155
Monsoon Embellished Chiffon Top £69 / Monsoon Blush Satin 50s Skirt £69 / Betty Jackson Oversized Double Breasted Coat £159 / River Island Gold Open Toe Stiletto £50 / Aldo Pill Box Bag £35
Warehouse Leather A-Line Mini Dress £48 / Warehouse Leather Slim Trouser £38 / Ted Baker Silver Sequin Jacket £299 / Aldo Teardrop Chain Necklace £20 / Simply Be Metallic Reptile Clutch £25 / Office Holographic Open Toe Heels £50
I also filmed an Instagram video of the Shades of Red scene…
It was nice to see affordable, high street pieces on a catwalk, and a lot of this year’s trends and colours are right up my street. The soundtrack to the show was great too!
What do you think of this season’s fashion trends?
Naomi x
China Glaze Autumn 2014
3
4 years
by Naomi in Nails
Hi everyone,
Well, after two busy weeks of starting a new full time job and planning for a house move, I’m finally back to blogging! Today’s post features two China Glaze shades that were kindly gifted to me by nailpolish.co.uk for review.
Both shades are from the new China Glaze 2014 Autumn collections, and retail for £4.95 each. There are two autumn collections this year – All Aboard Fall and Apocalypse of Colour, and I picked a shade from each.
‘Choo-Choo Choose You’ is from the All Aboard Fall 2014 collection, which includes twelve stunning, on trend autumnal shades. At first glance the varnish looks to be a blue-grey shade with a hint of gold shimmer, but as soon as you move into natural light it explodes with purple, orange and green.
The varnish is a colour changing metallic, which with some brands makes for a streaky finish, but this one goes on perfectly without any imperfections. The formula is slightly runny, but applies nicely and two coats gives an opaque look. The only downside is it takes a little longer to dry than I’d like, but it’s worth the wait.
You can view the rest of the All Aboard Fall collection here.
‘Rest In Pieces’ is from the Apocalypse of Colour collection, which features five Halloween themed shades, all of which have brilliant names! Halloween is my favourite time of year so I was very excited about this range, and it doesn’t disappoint. ‘Rest In Pieces’ is a gorgeous metallic orange, black and gold holographic glitter that reminds me of pumpkins, autumnal leaves and fireworks. Some of my absolute favourite things!
The glitter comprises of various different types of glitter, large flecks, small flecks, micro and straw, which gives fantastic depth and texture. For maximum impact, the varnish is best applied in a dabbing motion rather than brushing, as dabbing leaves more glitter behind. This one dries a lot quicker than the other shade, and makes an amazing top coat. Perfect for adding a little something extra to any autumn mani! I love it.
You can view the rest of the Apocalypse of Colour collection here.
nailpolish.co.uk is a one stop shop for nail varnish, and they stock a HUGE range of brands, including OPI, Essie and Barry M, and over 350 colours! They also offer free first class delivery on every order. Check them out here.
What do you think of these new China Glaze shades?
Naomi x
*These two China Glaze nail varnishes were sent to me by nailpolish.co.uk for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
What I Wore: Comfy Sunday
2
4 years
by Naomi in Fashion
Today my fiancé and I decided to go out for lunch, to one of my favourite bars (the Orange tree in Leicester – they serve a cracking veggie roast!) Afterwards, we went for a leisurely wander around town, did a spot of shopping and checked out the new Richard III monuments near the cathedral. A lovely casual day called for a casual outfit, so I threw on this gorgeous draped hoodie with a basic tee, and my favourite pair of jeans. I love anything acid wash and polka dots, and these jeans combine the two, and are made of light, stretchy denim so are incredibly comfortable. They’re a real wardrobe staple and have seen me through Spring and Summer, but will also be great for Autumn, worn with a pair of chunky boots.
DressLink.com Draped Hoodie / H&M Polka Dot Acid Wash Jeans / Primark Basic T Shirt / Primark Metal Waist Belt / Primark Canvas Shoes / Thrifted Topshop Leather Stud Bag
I ordered this oversized draped hoodie from DressLink.com a few weeks ago. It was originally intended to be for my mum, but unfortunately it doesn’t quite fit her right, so she let me have it. Believe it or not, this is an XXXL, but Asian sizes are a LOT smaller than our Western sizes, so it fits me, a size 10/12, like a baggy hoodie. There’s no way it’s a UK size 20 like the website suggests!
Tops like this are absolutely perfect for this time of year. It was sunny today, so too warm for a coat, but there was a hint of Autumnal coolness in the air, so it kept me nice and cosy, and the hood is great for when you want an extra bit of warmth. I also really love the length and draped style of the hoodie as it gives it a slightly witchy edge, and though it looks good baggy, I adore the more tailored shape of it when worn with a waist belt over the top.
What pieces will be seeing you through the Summer to Autumn transition?
Naomi x
Urban Outfitters Leicester Press Preview
4Earlier today I was lucky enough to attend the invitation-only press preview of the new Urban Outfitters store in Leicester, ahead of their official launch tonight. The store is located at the heart of the city in the Highcross shopping centre (right on the edge so it’s easy to find!), and spans two large floors, with womenswear downstairs, and menswear, home and gifts and fitting rooms upstairs.
As soon as I entered the store I could tell that it had a great vibe. The Urban Outfitters team have worked hard to transform what was once a fairly dark and claustrophobic space, into a far more open and vibrant one, which has the subtle industrial look that you expect from Urban Outfitters, with its bare floors and reclaimed metal and wooden interior. Vintage and alternative curios are also spread throughout the store giving it a fun and quirky edge, and hand painted contemporary art and wording adorn the walls. I even got to see some of it being done!
The store boasts a really eclectic mix of brands and styles, including own label collections such as Pins & Needles and Worland, but also well-known brands such as Converse and Levi’s, and up and coming labels like Cheap Monday and Native Rose. I spotted a great mix of edgy basics and classic designs, as well as bolder, more creative pieces (including a very spacey looking silver mini skirt!), that at the same time keep an urban, on-trend theme.
The accessories, gifts and homeware don’t come as an afterthought either. Everything is displayed so beautifully, and items of jewellery, hair accessories and nail varnishes are dotted around the shop so you can really get a feel of how to style different items throughout the store. Everything just seems to fuse together so perfectly, making for an easy and pleasant shopping experience.
I really enjoyed browsing the new store before it opened, and it was nice to meet some of the Urban Outfitters team too. I even got to choose a gift to take away with me, so I went for a beautiful black burnout floral cardigan that will be great for layering during the coming autumn and winter months. I’m sure you’ll be seeing it in an outfit post or two very soon!
Naomi x
Alternative Snacking: Creighton’s Chocolaterie
1
4 years
Today’s Alternative Snacking post is one for those with a sweet tooth, as it features Creighton’s Chocolaterie – an independent chocolaterie in Leighton Buzzard, owned by a mother and daughter team, who craft and sell their own beautiful chocolates and truffles.
Creighton’s has made it into my Alternative Snacking series as everything they sell is handmade, and though they use traditional methods and fine Belgian chocolate to create their artisan products, they pride themselves on making unique and unusual items that you won’t find anywhere else. Their packaging is also really well thought out and pretty, which is always a nice bonus.
I was lucky enough to receive three different bars and a selection of truffles from their collection to try, and will here share my thoughts on each.
Taster Selection Box
Creighton’s sell a wide variety of fresh handmade truffles and chocolates, which can be purchased in various sized selection boxes from their website. I received a Quartet Taster Selection Box which contained these four chocolates; a Lemon Heart, Raspberry truffle, Champagne Heart, and Mocha Coffee truffle. Every single truffle was deliciously creamy with a very rich centre and fantastic flavour, but the Lemon Heart deserves a special mention. It has a smooth, white chocolate shell, packed full of fresh lemon ganache, and it is absolutely gorgeous. I savoured every little nibble and I’m not lying when I say it was one of the tastiest things I’ve ever eaten. I could eat a box full!
Rose & Almond Bar
This bar was created in collaboration with fashion accessories brand Betty & Walter, and comes wrapped in a really lovely floral sleeve, designed by illustrator Lisa Levis. I chose this bar as I’m a fan of rose flavoured foods, but they’re hard to come by, and the combination of the rose and almonds sounded delicious. And it is. The chocolate is a very good quality milk chocolate which has a pleasing velvety texture, and the balance of rose oil is perfect. Too much and it can taste like perfume, but this bar gets it right as it is fairly subtle, but with just enough of a kick. The crunchy nibs of almond add an extra depth of flavour, but also texture, which ultimately make this bar a winner with me. Yum.
Peanut Nutter Bar
This Peanut Nutter bar is Creighton’s ‘grown-up’ equivalent of a peanut butter chocolate bar, and is one of their best-sellers. The bar consists of the same velvety milk chocolate as the Rose & Almond bar, but a little bit thicker, and is studded with crushed, roasted peanuts and sea salt. What I like about this bar is that the flavours combine perfectly, so you get a hit of saltiness, the creamy sweetness of the chocolate, and a taste of peanut all at once, which makes for a deliciously moreish bar. I could easily eat a whole one of these in one sitting!
Freshly Ground Bar
This beautifully rich Freshly Ground bar consists of high quality dark chocolate, which is mixed with freshly ground coffee beans from a local coffee roasters. I’m not always a fan of coffee chocolate as it can taste quite synthetic, but the fact that this bar contains real coffee beans makes the flavour wonderfully authentic, and adds a slight crunch. The depth of flavour in this bar is incredible, and my mum, whose favourite chocolate is coffee chocolate, absolutely adores this bar. In fact, this bar is so good it won a gold star in the Great Taste Awards 2014, and it is well deserved.
Overall, Creighton’s range of chocolate is exceptionally high quality and delicious, and is far more exciting than what you’d find in the supermarket. They sell some really unusual flavours, including Liquorice Whip and Fizzy Cola, and their selection of handmade gifts, which features an edible chocolate box and chocolate tea set, is stunning. Check out their full range here.
Naomi x
PS. Have you seen my first Alternative Snacking post, featuring Leighton Brown crisps? If not, click here!
*These chocolates were sent to me by Creighton’s Chocolaterie for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
