Sunday 27 December 2015

today i'm wearing...

Givenchy Obsedia bag

Topshop white Jamie jeans

Whistles Kumiko navy faux fur coat

Topshop Boutique grey top

Acne Pistol boots

Wrapped up warm to head to my favourite British tradition on Christmas Eve: the pantomime!

Whistles Kumiko navy fur coat / similar here
Topshop Jamie jeans / similar here
Givenchy Obsedia bag / similar here
Larsson & Jennings CM watch /


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Friday 25 December 2015

today i love… the sales

Forget Christmas… The best thing about this time of year is the sales. (OK, no, I lied: Christmas is the best. But sales come a close second). One of my favourite recently added Christmas traditions is the annual pilgrimage my sister and I make to Space NK on Boxing Day to snap up all the half-price gift sets. So much so that I'm a bona fide sales pro by now. I know exactly what to grab off the rail and what to leave behind in the bargain bin. So many people end up falling foul of that tantalising red ticket and ending up with an expensive haul of items they never really wanted that much. So here are my 3 golden sales shopping rules to stick to:

1) Don't buy it if you didn't already love it.
That item you returned for not looking quite right earlier in the year won't suddenly fit you better just because it's cheaper. My strategy is to keep my wish list on Pinterest and use these links as my first port of call. Of course you don't always have to have already been in love with the exact item, but if you find yourself drawn to styles and colours you'd never considered before, step away.

2) Only buy returnable items.
Almost all stores offer full refunds on sale items nowadays, but be sure to always check (up until recently Whistles would only offer exchanges on sale stock, for example). You need to be able to return sale purchases, and you need to be willing to do so as well. My strategy is buy loads, then weigh them all up against each other and only keep the top 10 or 20%. It's much easier to tell whether you really want that top when you've got to prioritise it against 6 others.

3) If in doubt, stick to classics, beauty and accessories.
Steer clear of trend pieces. Even if you still love that trend from last season now, you probably won't in another year. With clothes, stick to tried and tested but quality classics. Perfect items to snap up in the sale include cashmere knits, leather jackets and good quality jeans, because these can be expensive full price but will never go out of style. I count lingerie in this category too: you can't go wrong with a half price silk set. Failing that, beauty gift sets are always my number one sale tip, and accessories are also far more likely to stand the test of time than clothes.

With that said, below are my top picks, all falling into the classics/beauty/accessories categories (either already reduced or I'm hoping they will be…)

Hope you have a very merry Christmas!




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Saturday 19 December 2015

today i'm wearing...

Topshop black Jamie jeans

Acne Pistol boots

3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli medium

Whistles navy faux fur coat

Sorry for the lack of outfit posts of late - it's been difficult to source a photographer! It's been an unseasonably warm December but I've still managed to bust out my beloved Whistles faux fur. Still totally obsessed with this big navy beauty.

Whistles faux fur coat / similar here
& Other Stories t-shirt / similar here
3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli bag / in black here
Larsson & Jennings CM watch /


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Wednesday 16 December 2015

today i'd love to wear...



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Tuesday 1 December 2015

today i love… my christmas gift guide

under £50 /





under £100 /




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Saturday 21 November 2015

today i'm wearing...

Acne Pistol boots

Whistles mini Verity rucksack

Topshop shearling aviator jacket

Love digging out old favourites from my wardrobe. This Topshop shearling beauty was the pride of my wardrobe back in 2010, inspired by what is still my favourite ever catwalk show: Burberry Prorsum A/W'10. And I still absolutely love it. Now that's what I call a good sartorial investment.

Topshop shearling aviator jacket / similar here
Whistles jumper / similar here
Topshop Jamie jeans / similar here
ASOS earrings /


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Monday 16 November 2015

today i love… the monday wish list



I'm always obsessed with cashmere, and navy's my favourite colour for clothing, so this combination is pretty much ideal. Perfect for cosying up in on a crisp day, teamed perhaps with leather trousers and ankle boots.

At this time of year my skin has a tendency to look dry and dull, so I like to slather it with serums, oils and moisturisers in an attempt to perk it up. I've heard really good things about this serum, so decided to give it a go. Will let you know what I think in a future beauty review.

Little bit in love with French Connection's homeware at the moment; it's deliciously industrial and minimal. This caged lamp is the perfect statement piece for any living room.

I really thought mules would be a flash in the pan trend when they started infiltrating the shops a few seasons ago, but turns out I still can't get enough of them. I like these winter-ready versions: just enough of a closed toe to mean you won't entirely freeze your feet.

For some reason I always love khaki in the autumn. Trust Whistles to come up with a sophisticated take on the army shirt that elevates it into the perfect versatile piece.

Nothing cuter than a bobble hat, and nothing more luxurious than one with a cashmere blend. Just give me this, a roaring fire and a Christmassy scented candle and I'll be happy.


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Sunday 8 November 2015

today i'm wearing...

Givenchy Obsedia black crossbody bag

& Other Stories grey mohair long cardigan

Topshop black Jamie jeans

IMG_5913

Zara black patent boots

Topshop white tuck front blouse

Wore this outfit to pick up the keys to my new flat on Saturday. Hopefully you'll let me off for my sparse blogging lately, but buying a property plus a new job equals not much time for fashion unfortunately. But in return I promise they'll be a few new things to come on the blog in the next couple of months, mainly in the way of more interior design content as I decorate my new place and spend all my money in IKEA rather than Topshop. I hope you'll like it and I hope you'll be patient with me. As always thanks for reading!

& Other Stories cardigan / similar here
Zara boots / similar here
Givenchy Obsedia bag /


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Sunday 1 November 2015

today i'd love to wear...



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Tuesday 27 October 2015

today i'm wearing...

Whistles asymmetric black skirt

Zara ponyskin ankle boots

Whistles quilted leather jacket

Whistles mini Onslow nude bucket bag

Sorry for the blog silence lately. Travelling with work and trying to buy a flat at the same time = zero time for blogging. Finally managed to snap some photos this morning though and love the beautiful autumnal colours in the background. I've succumbed to black tights now, but I'm still not sure where I stand on them. I read an article saying that true fashion people would never wear them, but I think they're fine as long as you have the right footwear and don't overcomplicate the rest of your look. At least they're miles better than nude tights: I'd never be seen dead in those…

Whistles leather jacket / similar here
H&M cashmere jumper / similar here
Zara boots / similar here
Whistles Onslow bucket bag / similar here
ASOS earrings /


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Monday 19 October 2015

today i love… the monday wish list



At long last I have found the perfect camel coat. I can't tell you how long I've been searching for this. The only problem is it's hardly cheap and I'm really trying to be good right now. So for now I'm going to sigh wistfully from afar and really, really hope that it goes in the sale.

I'm a sucker for a face mask and this one has some pretty great reviews. Plus I love that you don't have to wash it off because let's face it, that's the worst bit.

I've wanted a shearling backpack since I first saw Whistles' perfect version last year, but I was worried that it might be a flash in the pan trend. How wrong I was. Now I'm seriously lusting after this super-soft KG beauty with gold hardware.

I'm still enjoying the single earring trend. This is simple, minimalist and inexpensive = ideal.

It's difficult to find a white blouse that's classic without being totally boring. I love the simple tuck detail on this Topshop version. Perfect with leather trousers or a pencil skirt, finished off with some kick ass heels.

It's that time of year again: time to dig out the scarves. I for one love nothing more than cosying up with a huge chunky woollen knit wrapped around my neck. This & Other Stories grey beauty is just what autumn is calling out for.


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Friday 16 October 2015

today i'm wearing...

& Other Stories black t-shirt

Whistles grey suede Tilla mules

Givenchy Obsedia black crossbody bag

Michael Michael Kors black leather trousers

I don't often manage to shoot an evening outfit due to lack of light, but a nice early dinner last weekend gave me a rare opportunity to do so. I love dressing for the evening because it's so easy: my failsafe formula is a simple minimalist outfit, usually mostly black and including leather, pepped up with some killer accessories and either smoky eyes or a dark lip.

Michael Michael Kors leather trousers / similar here
Whistles grey mules / in silver here
Givenchy Obsedia bag / similar here
Zara ear cuff / similar here
NARS lipstick in Fire Down Below /


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Friday 9 October 2015

today i'm wearing...

Whistles mini Verity rucksack

Acne Pistol boots

& Other Stories grey mohair cardigan

Ray-Ban Clubmasters

Whistles Tyler boyfriend jeans

This is what you call a super lazy relaxed weekend outfit. Everything oversized, slouchy and comfortable, hopefully without totally sacrificing on style. Boyfriend jeans, a super soft mohair cardigan and trusty boots make for the perfect outfit in which to browse the shops, grab a coffee and just generally not do anything too taxing at all.

& Other Stories mohair cardigan / similar here
& Other Stories t-shirt / similar here
Whistles Tyler boyfriend jeans / similar here
Larsson & Jennings CM watch /


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Monday 5 October 2015

today i love… how to do dark lips

howtodarklips1

Thought I would do a little beauty how to of one of my favourite evening looks: dark lips.

howtodarklips7

Step 1: Eyes
It's taken me a while to work out the right eye make-up for dark lips. During the day I always rely on a classic black winged liner, but it looks too harsh against a strong mouth. I've settled on a taupe shadow (such as Urban Decay's Suspect) teamed with a soft brown pencil liner. Simply apply the shadow with a wide brush to just above the socket line and smudge the liner as close to the lashes as you can. Top with strokes of black mascara.

howtodarklips3

Step 2: Base
I always do my eye make-up before my base so I can tidy up any dropped powder, although I do apply YSL Touche Éclat under my eyes beforehand to conceal dark circles. It also gives my moisturiser time to sink in. As I've got quite dry, dull skin, I'll usually start with an illuminating primer like NARS pro-prime. However, at the moment I've taken to using Rimmel's Wake Me Up foundation which is extremely hydrating and light-reflecting, but also sets to a matte velvet finish, which is ideal. Apply with a foundation brush then blend with fingers.

Step 3: Conceal
I apply Touche Éclat to the shadows around my nose and under the eyebrows, and then use a stick concealer to cover any blemishes. I like Revlon Photoready.

howtodarklips9

howtodarklips4

Step 3: Powder, bronzer and blush
I always set my make-up with NARS loose powder (t-zone only) and then add a little bronzer to my cheekbones, mainly to make me look a little less ghostly pale (I like Bobbi Brown in Medium). Finally a swirl of blusher on the apples of the cheeks; I always use one with some shimmer like NARS Orgasm.

howtodarklips8

Step 4: Brows
One of the most important steps: if I forget to do my brows my whole face looks unfinished. However, don't overdo it, especially when you're making lips the focus. Just brush them out and fill in with a few strokes of pencil. Collection eyebrow definer in Blonde is the perfect shade for me.

howtodarklips6

howtodarklips2

Step 5: Lips
Finally the main event: NARS semi-matte lipstick in Fire Down Below. Prep with a slick of lip balm and then when it's sunk in, trace a nude lipliner around the edges of your lips to stop colour bleed. I always apply the first layer of lipstick with a lip brush to really push the colour in: it definitely makes it last longer, plus you get a much neater line. Blot with tissue, then apply a second coat from the bullet. Blot again and you're done.

howtodarklips5


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