Saturday 29 June 2013

today i love... apivita



I don't know about you, but I hadn't paid much attention to Marks & Spencer's beauty range until recently. It was only when I took a look around their site a few weeks ago that I realised the high street stalwart actually stocks an incredibly well curated selection of luxurious beauty brands. A number of highly rated favourites such as REN, Leighton Denny and Philip Kingsley sit alongside a wide range of brands you have probably never heard of, including Docteur Renaud, Australian Native Botanicals and my new favourite, APIVITA. A Greek brand whose name means "the life of the bee", this luxurious skincare line uses the likes of royal jelly and beeswax in its super luxe, beautifully packaged products (the logo is a bee, too). So far I've tried the above three specimens and love them all. The serum is richly hydrating and smells divine (like a spa), the lip balm feels pleasingly beeswaxy (if you know what I mean), and the hand cream sinks in super fast with a lovely subtle but comforting smell. I can't wait to try more of the range. Shop all APIVITA here.


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Friday 28 June 2013

today i want... topshop boutique silk stripe pencil skirt




The sales have only been on for a couple of weeks but already I've started to head to the new in section of my favourite shops, where the shiny new stock looks ever so orderly and inviting compared to the tired overstuffed rails of the sale. It's too early for autumn collections just yet, but the pre-fall lines that are dropping at the moment are just as exciting. My favourite so far is Topshop Boutique's current stock, which includes such delights as a pale pink snakeskin embossed cami, sweatshirt and dress, plenty of delicious butter soft leather skirts and a whole line of matching striped silk goodies, one of which above. I love the clean sharp lines of this stripe print, which just looks so fresh and of the moment to me. The best part is they are the perfect transitional pieces: wear the striped shorts and tee together now for a barbecue, sling on the loose fitting dress on the beach later and when temperatures start to cool, throw a cosy knit over this beautifully cut skirt. It's safe to say I'm adding the whole collection to my wish list.


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Thursday 27 June 2013

today i'm wearing...






Zara jacket /
Topshop jumper /
Zara jeans /
Zara shoes /
Zara bag /

Can't get over how perfect these shoes are. Beautiful and comfortable = footwear nirvana. They've been reduced now to just £19.99, so snap them up if you can find them in your size!




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Wednesday 26 June 2013

today i'm wearing...





H&M gilet /
JW Anderson x Topshop shirt /
Zara bag /

I know a lot of you have asked after this leather gilet in the past, so just wanted to let you know that ASOS have a pretty good lookalike which is currently on sale for £65. Just click on the picture below.




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Tuesday 25 June 2013

today i'm wearing...





Whistles jacket /
Topshop tee /
Topshop bag /

Loving my new trousers.




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Monday 24 June 2013

today i want... sales picks


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Saturday 22 June 2013

today i bought... whistles elliot trouser suit



I spent my entire commute last Thursday morning frantically browsing the Whistles sale and adding almost everything in sight to my basket (not that easy when you consider how appalling phone signal can be on trains). It was only after hitting "confirm order" that I realised how much I'd spent (gulp), so I had to be pretty firm with myself on what to keep. I'd had my eye on these beautiful blue trousers and jacket for quite some time; I just love the idea of wearing a slouchy trouser suit in the evening with heels and a smokey eye. So when it was reduced I knew I had to go for it. It still wasn't exactly cheap, but, as always with Whistles, it's beautifully cut and amazing quality. For monetary reasons I debated keeping only one or the other, but I just knew I had to have both. After all, the outfit potential is pretty huge, since I can wear them both separately too. Oh, and good name as well (shame about the wrong spelling...)


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Friday 21 June 2013

today i'm wearing...






Primark coat /
Topshop tee /
Topshop trousers /
Zara bag /

Slowly but surely the summer wardrobe is coming out. Cropped trousers and sleeveless coats have a limited weather lifespan so I've got to make the most of them now...




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Thursday 20 June 2013

today i'm wearing...





River Island jacket /
Top bought at Bondi Beach /
Zara jeans /
Topshop bag /

Not entirely appropriately dressed for what was apparently the warmest day of the year yesterday, but nevertheless felt nice and summery all in white with a flash of silver.




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Wednesday 19 June 2013

today i'm wearing...






H&M jacket /
ASOS top /
Topshop jeans /
Zara bag /
Linda Farrow Luxe sunglasses /

What I wore yesterday to my second day of shows at London Collections: Men. After Hunter Gather, Orlebar Brown and Katie Eary on Monday, I headed along to Matthew Miller and Xander Zhou yesterday, both of which I thought were really strong. Read my show reports and those of the rest of the Telegraph team in their live blog here.




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Tuesday 18 June 2013

today i love... instagram


Clockwise, from top left:
NARS nail varnish in Disco Inferno / Smoothie making / My credit in the Telegraph / Sunny Edinburgh / Honey & ginger mascarpone cheesecake / Two of my favourite things, flowers and candles / Giles Deacon and Phoebe Philo at the Central St Martins BA show / Goslings at my local lake / White jeans & velvet slippers

A few of my Instagram photos from recently. Don't forget to follow me @annalouelliott!


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Monday 17 June 2013

today i love... beauty favourites


Thanks to doing a lot of beauty reviews and going a little bit crazy in a couple of beauty sales, I've been trying out loads of new products lately. There are some that will be going straight to the back of my cupboard, but others have stood out to me and become new must-haves in my beauty arsenal. So I thought I'd share a few of them with you.

This has become my new favourite everyday perfume, thanks to its soft notes of rose and blackcurrant. It's a subtle scent but no less beautiful for it.

I'd been searching for the perfect primer for a while, and now I've found it. This shimmery, light-reflecting liquid won't be for you if you've got oily skin, but if your complexion is very dry and dull like mine, you will adore this. It leaves a wonderful healthy glow which catches the sun at every angle, but without looking over-the-top. It has SPF15, too.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Adored /
I'd previously only used liquid highlighters like my favourite Soap & Glory Glow Lotion (which I mix with my foundation), but this powder is a revelation. Dusted on top of the rest of your make-up along cheekbones and temples, it gives the most beautiful pinkish glow. Build the colour on the apples of your cheeks to double up as blusher, too. (This shade isn't available yet but comes out in July, part of MAC's Tropical Taboo collection).

If you're on the hunt for a facial exfoliator that's gentle enough for frequent use, this is my recommendation. It smells heavenly and is very softly exfoliating - not the one for you if you're after a deep-down pore cleanser, but a treat for those in need of a less abrasive scrub.

My collection of red lipsticks is ever-growing, but this one's a keeper for sure. Its velvety, matt texture sets it apart, leaving you with beautiful suede-looking lips without drying them out. This is also the perfect "true" red, neither too blue nor too orange.

I gave this 9/10, whereas I would have given my usual Benefit Hoola 10/10, so I'd actually recommend the latter, as it's cheaper too. Both are perfectly matt with no shimmer, which is what you want to achieve an authentically tanned look. But the upside of this Bobbi Brown powder is that it comes in different shades. Mind you, used sparingly, Medium wasn't too dark even on my very pale skin.

My hands are totally addicted to hand cream, to the point that I can't go anywhere without it (once you pop, you can't stop). This is the best I've found so far. The scent is seriously divine, deliciously almondy without being overpowering, and it absorbs quickly with no greasy residue. I love the metal tube, too.


See previous beauty favourites posts here, here and here.




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Sunday 16 June 2013

today i'd love to wear...

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Saturday 15 June 2013

today i'm wearing...





Whistles jacket /
Topshop shirt /
Zara jeans /
Topshop shoes /
Zara bag /
Linda Farrow Luxe sunglasses /

A classic combination for me: black, white and denim, plus some cute sunglasses to top it off.




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Friday 14 June 2013

today i'm wearing...


H&M jacket /
Topshop shirt /
Zara trousers /
Zara bag /

Details from the other day. Can't get enough of this leopard jacket right now. Having to hunt high and low for an item makes it all the more satisfying when you finally get your hands on it and that's definitely the case with this beauty. (By the way, love this nail colour and it dries almost immediately, but chips like anything. Shame.)




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Thursday 13 June 2013

today i bought... zara mid-heel sandals



So... I've bought some more Zara shoes. I know, I know, how many can one girl own? But I just couldn't help myself. I seriously think Zara's shoes are far and away the best on the high street and can easily pass for three times as expensive as they are. In fact, my friend told me the other day that Rachel Bilson often wears Zara shoes in Hart of Dixie (best show ever, in case you haven't seen it) because they're such good quality. And that was me sold right there. So no, I didn't really need any more black heeled sandals, but I've managed to convince myself that these will play a totally different role in my wardrobe from all my other ever so similar shoes. Plus, they just look so chic, don't they? The heel is that perfect balance of just high enough to avoid kitten heel territory and just low enough to be totally walkable. They're not real leather, which I usually insist upon for my footwear, but this also means that they cost a mere £30. And really, you can't go too wrong for that. Especially not with Zara.


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Wednesday 12 June 2013

today i'm wearing...





River Island blazer /
Miss Selfridge jeans /
Topshop bag /

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Tuesday 11 June 2013

today i'm wearing...





H&M jacket /
Topshop Boutique top /
Zara jeans /
Topshop shoes /
Zara bag /
Dogeared necklace /




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Monday 10 June 2013

today i want... june wish list


With the warm weather we've (finally) been having lately, the heavy leather midi skirt on this month's wish list might seem a little out of place, but let's face it, I could live on the surface of the sun and I'd still want to wear leather. At the other end of the spectrum is an overly optimistic bikini that is making me long to sip a piƱa colada on a beach in Hawaii (sigh). Everything else, though, is mostly reasonably suited to summer in the city. I'm still obsessed with Topshop Unique's pre-fall collection and craving this gorgeously grown up silk printed skirt, which would look divine teamed with Whistles' neon pink shirt (quite un-me, but thereby an exciting prospect). The Reiss shorts are, however, totally me, and while I do not need to add to my ever expanding collection of shorts-that-are-inappropriate-for work-and-therefore-hardly-ever-get-worn, I'm tempted nevertheless. Fun yet work-friendly accessories such as Topshop's revo lens sunglasses and Mango's Marant-esque heels are more realistic, and I know the sight of Smythson's "Today I'm going to be nice" notebook on my desk couldn't fail to put me in a good mood, even on a Monday.


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Sunday 9 June 2013

today i'm wearing...





Whistles jacket /
H&M top /
Whistles clutch /
ASOS bracelet /

Decided it was warm enough last night to finally give this beautiful white skort its first outing, teamed as my looks so often are with a good dose of leather and finished off with an orange lip. I love summer.




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