Summer Trousers...

Urban Outfitters have started their summer sale. After a little browse online I decided not to risk buying trousers from the internet incase they didn't fit and then losing out on them. So I popped into town to have a little mooch around. Again this is another bad move because as soon as I see something reduced I think i need to have it whether I will wear it or not, whether it fits or not and sometimes even whether I really like it or not. The latter does not happen very often and usually it is over something that costs a pound.

However on this trip I fell in love with these BDG Pigment Dye Ankle Cigarette Jeans in what they class as red. My camera makes them look very orange but I would describe them as salmon pink. Reduced from £45 to £22 a really good buy. They have a nice amount of stretch to the material so you can sit down comfortably and at ankle length, they are very versatile. You can roll them up, tuck them into boots or wear them as they are with heels or flats. Unlike some other jeans on the high street they are made from a strong denim so there no chance of the belt loop holes coming loose or holes from general wear. Overall I am really happy with them and would buy them at full retail price.

I wore this outfit for a meal out

I teamed my new jeans with a brown leather belt from ASOS, I can't remember how much I bought it for and my slouchy see-through shirt from River Island which I previously blogged about.

Moccasin Flats - Urban Outfitters - Can't remember price

I wore flat shoes for my meal out as I preferred the slightly more casual look. These moccasin flats from UO are my absolute favourite shoes. They are comfortable and go with everything so to me they are priceless.

Denim texture

Jeans - Urban Outfitters - £22

Bangles - various

Hair

I wore my hair in a really high up do. The bun is huge which I love. To achieve this I used a ballerina donut which i placed around a pony tail and then tucked the hair underneath all the way around. My hair tends to be quite shiny and sloppy which isn't good for putting my hair up so I have to set it with lots of hair spray, I then loosed it off a little so it doesn't look perfect.


P.s. Feel free to follow me if you like my blog and you will be kept up to date when I write a new post!

Magpie!

So Im a bit of a magpie when it comes to prints. At the moment I'm pretty obsessed with tribal prints and really can't get enough of them. Recently i popped into Topshop just for a little browse not intending to buy anything. In my experience these are the most dangerous shopping trips and this one definately lived up to expectations. I picked up these shorts reduced for about £23 because there was a mark on the yellow thread detail at the front. However after a little bit of TLC you would never know.

Although it is June, it is still cold and rainy which means tights and boots. Today I teamed my shorts with a baggy black top also from Topshop, black tights, my green Doc Martens and a matching green leather satchel handmade in Mexico. I kept my jewellery quite simple with a few bracelets I always wear, a few vintage bangles and a vintage charm bracelet, as well as a long vintage necklace with a key pendant which you can't see in the pictures.

I love the colours and patterns on these shorts, it really brightens up the outfit. They also look amazing with a sheer white shirt and brown leather belt.

Shorts - Topshop - £23

Doc Martens - Bought for $40

Handmade leather satchel - Mexico 

Tribal patterns look really good layers. A recent editorial in the June 2012 edition of Harpers Bazaar hows this perfectly by layering swimsuits with tribal print jackets, boots and shawls. I haven't seen much work by the photographer Paola Kudacki before but the feel in these images is really soft and feminine which makes the prints stand out even more. It really gives the pieces the wow factor.

Skinspiration...

Bad skin affects many people of all ages. I unfortunately have suffered from acne for the past 10 years. Countless trips to the doctors and eventually dermatologists has seen my body consume hundreds of pills and potions to varying scales of success. I eventually at the age of 15 was advised to take Roaccutane, a potent pill that, for me, was the miracle drug. At the moment I am fairly happy with the way my skin is, however when I am under the weather or at various hormonal stages my skin does tend to break out. Since the weather has turned cold and rainy again, I have caught a cold and seen the arrival of a few lovely spots. 

During a slightly down moment of not wanting to emerge from the house, I found a Youtube channel from Cassandra Bankson called DiamondsAndHeels14 which has been a massive inspiration to me. I was skeptical at first not believing that she had ever seen a spot before especially as she is a model. However as the video continued, she removed her make up and her acne issue is clear to see. Cassandra talked us through her make up routine and did a step by step guide to perfect looking skin. This video has made me see the light and helped me to adjust some of my own make up techniques so even if i do have a spot or two to cover up I can do it easily. 

Some of her other make up tutorials are also really good, like how to contour your face with make up. She also has videos on healthy eating and exercise and ways to improve your skin not just cover it up. 


I wrote this post because I wanted to share this video and although beauty is supposed to be on the inside, it does help to feel good about how you look on the outside too. 


http://www.youtube.com/user/DiamondsAndHeels14?feature=watch


images from - www.youtube.com
              www.theblogismine.com
              www.dailymail.co.uk

Nailed it...

I am not the most experimental when it comes to painting my nails. But i thought I would attempt something a little bit different yesterday.

I used Boots Nail Hardener as my base coat, Nails Inc for the colour and a No7 Top coat.

Nails Inc in Victoria Gate and Eagle Street

I actually found this effect really simple even with my wobbly hands and maybe i will try some other effects.


<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3789416/sunshine-soothes-the-soul?claim=cgrgsfehacw">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Pilotto

I am loving the new collection from Peter Pilotto. His bold prints and cutaway designs in the Autumn/Winter 2012 collection are a smooth transition from the Spring/Summer collection from earlier this year.

The Peter Pilotto brand is a collaboration between Peter Pilotto himself and Christopher De Vos. The pair met whilst studying at Antwerp's Royal Academy of Fine Arts. The brand came to the forefront of the fashion world when they won the Emerging Talent Award at the British Fashion Awards in 2009. They compliment each other perfectly with Pilotto focussing on the fabric and prints of the designs and De Vos working on the drape and silhouette. They have previously said that their designs come from the scientific side of nature, the view down the microscope.

I like the fact they have included trousers in the A/W collection as it becomes more versatile however the maxi skirt below is absolutely gorgeous!

I think it is safe to say that the designs have come in to their own since the initial collection in 2009. The designs now seem more streamlined, like they have found their own niche within the market. The brand seems classy and elegant but still with a bold and fun print.

Spring/Summer 2009 RTW Collection

Images from www.style.com

CFDA Awards 2012

This week saw the Council of Fashion Designers of America's annual awards ceremony. The association is a not-for-profit organisation to make the fashion designs of America a part of the art and culture society. Fashion Designs are an art form and not just something a person wears. They aim to nurture the fashion designers of the future. Diane von Furstenberg is the President and Steven Kolb is the Executive Director of the group. This years awards are special as the CFDA group is celebrating its 50th anniversary after its formation in 1962.

The top 3 awards winners were:

--Womenswear Award - Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen with The Vow

--Menswear Award - Billy Reid

--Lifetime Achievement Award - Tommy Hilfiger

I have picked out my top outfits from the night:

Candice Swanepoel in Valentino

I love this fun summery design worn by Victoria Secret Angel, Candice Swanepoel. Her braided hair gives the look a summer boho vibe which softens her appearance.

Doutzen Kroes in Sophie Theallet

Joan Smalls in Michael Kors

Julianne Hough in Kaufman Franco

This colour is amazing. The dress showcases the colour perfectly with the low neckline as it could seem overpowering and swamp Julianne Hough if the neckline was higher. I love the gold clutch as well.

Lauren Hutton in The Vow with designers Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

images courtesy of www.style.com

Bacon up a storm...

So in an attempt to look good on the beach in the summer I have been attempting to eat more healthily. I love to cook and although where I live at the moment does't have the ideal cooking conditions, I have managed to cook up a few culinary delights. The most recent was a lovely soup which was possibly the cheapest soup ever made after a trip to the reduced section of the supermarket (a personal favourite of mine).


-the images don't really do it justice...





























Leek, potato and bacon soup!


Serves 4


Ingredients:


3 Large leeks,
5 Large potatoes,
8 rashers streaky bacon,
1 onion,
2 vegetable stock cubes,
seasonings 
       - I used rosemary, a small pinch of mixed herbs, salt and pepper
a small drizzle of cream to serve.


Basically in a large pan i fried off the onions and half the bacon together, when starting to colour I added in the leeks and potato and fried for a further 5 to 10 minutes depending on how hot you have the pan. I then placed a lid on the pan and let the contents sweat over a low heat. 


After this, i crumbled the stock cubes and seasoning into the pan and stirred allowing them to coat the vegetables. I don't mix my stock prior to adding it to the soup as i like to get all the flavour but control the thickness. So gradually add hot water until you get the desired consistency. If you find it is too thick after blending, you can add more water. 


Allow the vegetables to simmer until tender and take from the heat. Once it has cooled slightly pour into the blender until you get the constancy you want and then return it to the pan. Re heat and then pour into bowls. I had some cream left over so just put a small drizzle on top but you don't really need it as the potatoes give it a nice creamy texture. I then added some more crispy bacon to the top and served with some warm bread. Yum Yum!!


You can freeze the left-overs or eat for lunch the next day.