Beauty. Fashion. Lifestyle.
Posts tagged A/W
What I Wore: Snow
0
8 years
by Naomi in Fashion
H&M Cropped Jumper / George Net Frill Skirt / Primark Cosy Tights / Dr Martens Crackle Suede Pascal Boots / Curiology Snow Globe Necklace
Well, it’s been a ridiculously long time since I last posted, but I think it’s about time I made a blog comeback! The last few months have been incredibly busy, and I may do a life update post soon to share a few things, but for now I thought I’d kick back off with a good ol’ outfit post – my favourite!
Last weekend we had our first snow of the season, and though there wasn’t much, Charles and I went for a lovely wintry walk around the local meadows. My outfit of choice for my snowy walk was put together around one piece – my skirt. I actually thrifted this skirt for just £3.25 from a charity shop a few weeks ago, and I absolutely adore it. The full tiered net looks so feminine, but still has the Gothy edge that I love, and is surprisingly warm when worn over tights.
I teamed the skirt with one of my favourite basic jumpers from H&M, and my newest pair of Dr Martens, which kept my toes toasty from the cold. The necklace was a Christmas gift from my mum, and is pretty damn cool. It’s by Curiology, and was one of their Winter 2015 pieces. It doesn’t show up well in the photo, but the necklace is layered, and depicts a gothic castle scene, with teeny bats included. So cute.
Did you get any snow last week?
Naomi x
What I Wore: Grunge
0
8 years
by Naomi in Fashion
Primark Tartan Shirt / Primark Skinny Trousers / bonprix Long Sleeve Top / Dr Martens Crackle Suede Pascal Boots / Handcrafted Silver Bat Skull Necklace
My black and red tartan collection continues to grow, as I recently added this oversized shirt to my autumn/winter wardrobe. I picked this up from the men’s section in Primark for a tenner, and it perfectly fits the slouchy grunge aesthetic I tend to go for during the colder months. I actually do a lot of my clothes shopping in the men’s sections at this time of year, as I find that men’s jumpers and shirts tend to be better made than those designed for women, and are also warmer, thicker, and most of the time cheaper.
I also recently invested in my annual pair of Dr Martens. I own quite a few pairs of Docs already, and this time I wanted some basic black ones, but I decided to go for a pair with a twist. These Pascal boots are made of crackle suede, and though they’re black, from different angles they have a metallic petrol effect, shimmering purple and green in the right light. They’re ideal for adding texture and a bit of colour to dark autumn outfits, and I managed to break them in in one (painful!) outing, so they’re ready to see me through the next few months.
The skinny trousers and bonprix long sleeve top are two of the core pieces from my wardrobe, that transition well all year round, as they can be paired and layered in endless combinations. Finished with my handcrafted silver bat skull necklace, this simple outfit is quick and easy for cosy autumnal days.
You can see how else I recently styled black and red tartan here!
Naomi x
*This bonprix top was sent to me for styling purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
French Connection Wishlist
0For years my personal style has featured a lot of black, so I’ve really been embracing this season’s trends for black and the leather look, as they’re letting me revive my teenage love of the Gothic, but with a bit more sophistication. In my search for new clothes to add to my hoard of black, I have been browsing the internet, and have found that French Connection’s current range has some amazing pieces that would look right at home in my wardrobe. So, I thought I’d put together a little wishlist featuring a selection of my favourite French Connection clothing.
T-Solar Dress / Vienna Dress / Judy Jegs Jeggings / Judy Jegs Pencil Skirt / Riot PU Jacket
These two French Connection dresses are fine examples of what, for me, a little black dress should be. They’re classic in their shape and fit, but have a little something extra that really makes a statement. The T-Solar’s leather panels and pleated skirt are bang on trend and give it a real edge, and the Vienna dress’s beautiful sheer lace sleeves and waist detail look so elegant. Both dresses would be perfect for the upcoming party season, teamed with a contrasting necklace and heels.
The Judy Jegs Jeggings and Pencil Skirt are simple pieces that could easily become wardrobe staples for me. Their simplicity means they could be worn to work without looking too over the top, making them the ideal way to bring the leather look into the office. Having said that, they could also both be dressed up with a nice top, your favourite jewellery and a gorgeous bag for a glamorous evening look.
Last but not least, the Riot PU Jacket would be great for those days when you want to wear something a bit brighter, whilst maintaining that on trend edge. It could be thrown over a colourful bodycon dress or even a t-shirt and jeans, and still look brilliant. The cropped fit, exposed zips and emphasised shoulders are also really modern, which I love.
You can find these pieces from French Connection online at divinetrash.co.uk.
Naomi x
*This post is a collaboration.*
Student Fashion Essentials: Boots
0
10 years
This week’s Student Fashion Essentials post focuses on one of my all-time favourite fashion items – boots.
A pair of comfortable, warm and waterproof boots are essential for all the walking to, from, and around campus you’ll be doing during the cold Autumn and Winter months, but that doesn’t mean they have to look like you’ve come straight from a building site or hiking expedition. If you go for quality leather boots, they’re almost guaranteed to fulfil the above criteria, and with this season’s biker leather trend there are currently hundreds of amazing, stylish boots out there to choose from.
My pick of the boots this season are these black Studded Leather Biker Boots from F&F, which are not only gorgeous and bang on trend, but also incredibly kind on the student pocket, coming in at a thrifty £35.00.
The boots are crafted from beautifully soft, high quality leather which give them excellent flexibility for ultimate comfort, and the fact that they’re made from leather means they keep your feet warm and dry too, so they can withstand any kind of weather without getting soaked or falling to bits. Also, usually when I wear new boots they tend to rub and cause blisters until they’re broken in, but I haven’t had that with these at all, even after wearing them all day at work, as the strong soles and low block heel make them easy to walk in.
In terms of aesthetics, these boots are perfect for this season’s biker trend, with their double straps and silver dome stud detail. They’re also very versatile and look great with a variety of outfits. They work really well with a simple dress and a pair of black tights, and their wide tops mean they can be worn with skinny jeans on colder days. I mostly team my pair with black skinnies, a simple top and a leather jacket for a chic look that’s effortless but edgy.
If you’re looking for a quality pair of leather boots for this season that are practical but affordable, then these are definitely for you. You can order your pair of Studded Leather Biker Boots from F&F here.
Naomi x
*These Studded Leather Biker Boots were sent to me on behalf of F&F for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Avon Ultra Colour Rich Rubies Lipstick in ‘Princely Plum’
14
11 years
by Naomi in Lips
Hi all,
Once again, I’m very sorry for not blogging much this week. I have had a very busy time at work, and in between all the working hard I have also been playing hard! On Wednesday I went to a gig to see one of my favourite bands and that, combined with the work, has left me very tired with no energy to blog in the evenings. But anyway, here I am with another little review for you all, so allow me to introduce you to Avon’s latest lipstick which is perfect for the party season – Ultra Colour Rich Rubies.
First thing’s first – the packaging. I think it goes without saying that the ruby-red and black ombre tube is very sleek and beautiful, and bang on trend. In fact, Avon say that it has ‘perfect party packaging’, and I’m inclined to agree as it looks so much more eye-catching than a plain old black lipstick! The lid also closes with a satisfying click so it definitely won’t come off in your make up bag and make a big mess.
The lipstick’s formula is very creamy so it smooths on easily and evenly with no dragging of the skin. The creaminess also means that it is delicately moisturising, so it doesn’t dry your lips out as the day progresses. A little word of warning though… I used this over the top of a slightly oily lip balm the first time I used it and it had worn off within a few hours because of how creamy it is. Luckily, it’s soft enough to use on its own without lip balm, but for an extra protective layer it sits fine with a thin layer of lip balm over the top.
Without the lip balm, Avon’s Rich Rubies is a laster. I applied this today before I went to work and it lasted through the morning until lunchtime. After I’d eaten my lunch I was pleasantly surprised to see that, though slightly faded, the lipstick still looked quite bold and even a couple of hours later, after it had mostly worn off, there was still an ever-so slight (but nicely even) tint of colour to my lips. Furthermore, I found that it doesn’t bleed at all which is always a good thing.
If you look closely at the photographs above you will see that the lipstick has a lovely pink shimmer to it. According to Avon, all of the Rich Rubies lipsticks contain ‘real crushed rubies’, which makes for ‘instant sparkle and shine’. I doubt that the ruby content is very high, but believe me when I say that the micro pink glitter particles that the lipstick boasts are absolutely stunning. It might sound vain, but I couldn’t stop staring at my lips in the mirror when I first used this as I was so mesmerized by the shimmer! In my experience, a lot of shiny, shimmery lipsticks tend to have a gold, sliver or blue glitter tinge to them, so I think this pink addition is really quite unusual.
Now onto the colour… Princely Plum is a luscious, deep purple shade which does in fact look very regal, hence the name. The colour looks quite dark in solid form, but once on the lips it looks a lot brighter due to the shine, but layers can easily be built up if you do want it darker. The above lip swatch shows one generous layer of lipstick. I really, really love Princely Plum. It’s right up my street and is absolutely perfect for the 2012 Autumn/Winter trend for deep, luxurious colours.
The Ultra Colour Rich Rubies range features five other shades – Noble Nude (a nude peach), Imperial Pink (a girly, light pink), Majestic Mauve (a pinky purple), Fuchsia Fame (a bright, bubblegum pink) and Radiant Ruby (a bold red). The lipsticks will debut in Avon UK’s Brochure 1 (which I will be launching soon), and will have an introductory price of £2.49. For a good quality, all-round fabulous lipstick this is a MASSIVE bargain and well worth it, especially when considering that the RRP is £8.50 – you could get 3 for the price of 1, WITH CHANGE!
Which shade will you be trying?
Naomi x
Celliana Spike and Peace Bracelet
7I was recently given the opportunity by Sarah at Celliana to choose a gorgeous piece of jewellery from their new Regal Treasure collection. Celliana are a UK-based, online jewellery design company who put a lot of thought and care into creating exclusive yet affordable pieces. Their jewellery combines contemporary high fashion and traditional crafting techniques to bring you exciting designs which fit but also transcend current fashion trends, and every single item is designed by the company’s own small team of talented designers.
I actually found it quite difficult to pick just one piece when browsing the Regal Treasue collection as there are so many stunning pieces, but in the end I settled for a simple yet versatile bracelet – their Spike and Peace Bracelet, which costs just £4.00.
When I first received the bracelet I was really impressed with the way it was presented. It came in a little black drawstring pouch with a label attached, which in turn was in a Celliana branded bag-like ‘envelope’ – a lot more luxurious and far more personal than just being thrown into a jiffy bag!
The Spike and Peace Bracelet is very well made. The black cord which forms the bracelet is very tightly braided which makes it extremely strong, so there’s no worry that the bracelet will snap, and it has an adjustable cord fastening so it will fit any wrist comfortably without the chance that it will slip off or feel too tight.
The gold, metal-look peace sign and spike beads are woven securely into place, and have a decent weight and shine to them which gives them a look of real metal! I’ve found that, with some badly made bracelets, any protruding beads have the tendency to slip around and point in different directions, which can get quite annoying. However, the spike beads in this design stay pointing in the direction they’re supposed to, which is a sign of a good quality product in my eyes!
Celliana’s Spike and Peace bracelet sits really nicely on the wrist and is perfect for this season’s trend for stackable bracelets, and luckily at £4.00 it is cheap enough to invest in a few pieces from their website for a more dramatic look! It also fits the Autumn/Winter trend for all things Gothic, what with the spikes and black and gold contrast, which looks beautifully classy.
Celliana will be launching four Autumn/Winter 2012 collections over the next few months, with Regal Treasure being the first. They have also recently released their rather feminine Elegant Rose collection, but there are still two more amazing collections to come so keep an eye out!
Naomi x
BooHoo £50 Blogger Challenge
2
11 years
To celebrate BooHoo being included in Fashion Vouchers‘ ‘Top 10 Fashion Money Saving Websites’ list, Fashion Vouchers have launched a new blogger challenge! The challenge is to put together an outfit costing £50 or less using clothes, shoes, accessories or anything else from BooHoo’s website. There will be four winners, and each will win a £50 BooHoo fashion voucher. I love a good bargain so this challenge is right up my street! I’ve entered a couple of other challenges like this before and I always enjoy window shopping lovely items to put together my ideal outfit on a budget, so I thought I would give this one a go too, and here is my entry…
(Click the image for a closer look)
Shop this look:
– Annie Oversized Vintage Jumper in ‘Black’ (£20) – Davina Skull Print Leggings in ‘Berry’ (£10) –
– Quinn Black Suedette Platform Courts (£12) – Diamante Skull Chain (£8) –
I have been browsing the high street a lot lately for Autumn trends, and have spotted a lot of big slouchy jumpers and grunge style pieces on the shelves, with a mix of Gothic style prints. Lucky for me, I already incorporate these styles into my look anyway, so it seemed only natural to take this route when choosing my outfit for the challenge.
Too often people go for bright, patterned tops and plain bottoms, so I thought I would switch the conventions around a bit. I knew that I wanted to team a simple black jumper with bold bottoms, and the Annie Oversized Vintage Jumper seemed like a good starting point. I chose the red Skull Print Leggings to go with it as they offset the bagginess of the jumper nicely by being skin-tight, and the red adds a gorgeous splash of Autumn colour. The skull print is what initially drew me to this piece as it happens to be one of my favourite clothing prints, and it gives the outfit a hint of Gothic.
I added black Platform Courts to the outfit to show that grunge/Goth can be sexy too, and that the image can be carried through to the evening with some killer, confidence boosting heels. My final addition was the Diamante Skull Chain. I adore big statement pieces of jewellery, and own a few sparkly skull necklaces myself, so when I saw this necklace I just had to include it… It matches the leggings perfectly, and would really stand out on the simple jumper, giving the outfit a girly edge.
My outfit totals exactly £50, which I am very pleased with. This is the kind of thing I will be wearing myself throughout Autumn and Winter, and if I win I may even use the voucher to buy this outfit!
I was contacted about this challenge by email yesterday, but anybody can enter. If you fancy trying your hand at styling on a budget, here are the rules for entering:
How to Enter
1. Head over to BooHoo.com and start piecing together an outfit, making sure you do not exceed your £50 budget (no student discounts or other voucher codes can be used to help you stretch this budget I’m afraid).
2. Write a post about your outfit and this competition on your blog, which includes a link back to our home page www.fashionvouchers.com.
3. Email a link to your entry to .
Rules
1. The prize will consist of 1 x £50 BooHoo.com voucher, and there will be four winners.
2. No cash alternative is available for the prize.
3. The competition starts on September 1st.
4. Closing date for entries is September 30th.
5. Winner will be announced by October 10th on our twitter page @fashvouchers.
6. Only one entry per person.
I hope you like my outfit, and if you decide to enter yourself please comment below with the link to your entry so I can check out your fashion finds… and good luck!
Naomi x
