Models Own Stash!

Hello, my name is Ellen, and I have an addiction to nail varnish.

It's true, I'm obsessed. There needs to be some sort of help group.. Whenever I'm in boots or superdrug it's rare that I'll come out without some sort of new nail varnish which is only a shade lighter then about 5 I have already! I usually buy quiet cheap ones, but I've always loved models own nail varnish for their unique colours, I've never seen anything like the ones they have! Everything from neons, to glitters, to crackles and nail art pens, they pretty much have it all.

After a very bad move to follow them on facebook I saw they had a new collection which I adored as soon as I saw it. I'm in love with glitter nail varnish and this looked like the perfect set to own. £20 for 6 I thought was a great deal too, as you got base coat with it, and they RRP at £5 each.

I put my order into their website, and I was sad to see delivery took up to 5 working days! But I thought it would be something to look forward to. I found the box lying in front of the door this afternoon and couldn't wait to see what they looked like! It came in a box... with another box inside, packed with pretty models own tissue paper. Very well wrapped!

All the colours are so pretty, although the pink and purple aren't as bright as the photos showed them to be, and they're more of a pastel. There's a really pretty white glitter that reminds me of snowflakes, a golden flecked one that reminds me of tinsel, and a bold silver glitter that looks like a disco ball. So Christmassy! They will be perfect for winter when perhaps I can't decide what colour to have, and just layer glitter onto a neutral nail. I can't decide which one to use first! I was a bit disappointed though as I came to realise the pink glitter is IDENTICAL to my topshop one I bought a month or so ago! I'm a bit gutted, so I've decided to sell it to my sister! I swear they must have used exactly the same factory to make it!

I must.stop.buying.varnish...! I don't have enough fingers!

The Rise of the Oversized

I grabbed these photos from Vogue.com quickly, and unfortunately it didn't give me any designer names, but one things for sure, this spring/summer over sized coats and jackets will be one of the biggest trends for 2013. Lady silhouettes have varnished, and in are straight cut, boyfriend style blazers and coats that over swamp your figure. The catwalk pieces are slightly drastic and look almost too ridiculous to wear everyday, but I think this will be such an easy trend to incorporate into anyone's wardrobe.

I'm a big fan of this trend, and loved the thought of a huge coat or blazer I could wrap round me tight for winter! I made the big mistake of 'popping' into Primark the other day because I needed some new tights. (Can you tell I'm a bit of a Primarni addict?!) However this coat caught my eye and I absolutely adored it, and knew it fit the trend perfectly! In my eyes it was a coat, but sort of looked like an oversized blazer, which I really liked. It looked quite smart on, and I wanted a cream/lighter coloured winter coat, as I've worn my navy new look one to death these last few years and thought it would be nice for a change.

At £35 I knew it was alot to pay for a Primark coat but I grabbed it whilst I found it in my size, otherwise I would have regretted it i'm sure, before it sold out! It is a wool mix too and has a really lovely rough texture to it. Hopefully it will last me a while too. I really liked the fit, and with the long length it'll definitely be keeping me warm in the next month or so. It looks a bit manly flat, but with fitted sleeves it does give some fit. Definitely a good purchase from Primark, it looks good quality and a unusual style that doesn't actually look like I got it from there - result! I always seem to find the best things in there! I really need to stop buying things...

The Hunt for Boots

I was on a hunt for the perfect winter boots recently. If you live in Southampton, you know what a ridiculous amount of rain the area gets, it literally pours down all day some days! I had no water proof shoes, and was getting tired of walking around in damp cold dolly shoes. Even my Primark boots have a gigantic hole in the bottom so they let the water in, and are barley wearable now!

My first stop for clothing would usually be Primark, but I needed some decent shoes that would last me a couple of years, and although they had some really stylish ones which I really wanted, I forced myself to walk away from them, knowing the sole of them would crack in a few months and would be a waste of money. I hunted around online but it was tricky as you couldn't really try them on for fit, and I needed comfy ones I could walk around in. 

On a spur of the moment after uni trip into town with my friend Caroline, I headed into Topshop as they were recently offering 20% off for students, perfect to get some money off some boots. The ones I saw online didn't look like the photos and I didn't really like them, but I tried on a couple of styles. The shop assistant was so rude to me; (the shop assistant I had to walk across the entire store to find with a boot in my hand to ask her for the size, as there was nobody on the shoes. I found this really unusual as working in Next we always have at least 2 staff on the shoe department ready to help people wanting to try on!) Anyway. It almost put me off buying shoes in there altogether. She literally waited next to me and watch me try them on which made me feel very uncomfortable, and so I took my business elsewhere! Not before getting a couple of bracelets of course, I wanted to take advantage of the student discount!

I have A LOT of jewellery, but I felt not enough bracelets! I really wanted a spike one as they're everywhere at the moment, and I loved the skull bangle, it looks quite gothic and individual which is very on trend right now, and I could add them easily to any outfit.

I was prepared to spend more then I usually would for decent boots that would last, so we headed to Office. I walk past the shop every Saturday going to work and dribble over the shoes in the window, but never actually been in! I knew they had some great boots, but I wasn't sure if it was going to be too pricey for my student budget of £60. I went in and immediately saw some black Chelsea style boots with a heel, and fell in love with them. Luckily they had my size, as soon as I tried them on I knew I needed to buy them! The shop assistants were so lovely and friendly, and more then happy to help me, and even complimented me on the boots as I tried them! They were £65, which yes was a very high price to me for some shoes, but they did student discount, and even gave me the student lock in discount a day early because the manager was so nice! So I actually got them for £52, saving me £13 which I was chuffed about!

They are absolutely perfect, and exactly what I wanted. I couldn't be happier! They're not real leather but I can tell they will last at least a year with the thick heel and soles. I've worn them pretty much every day since I got them, they go with everything and look really smart dressed up or down, and they're sooo comfy. I bought heeled boots before and they have literally made my feet bleed, but I can easily walk around all day in these, and they fit my feet really well. Highly recommend Office for your winter footwear! :)

Hello October

Hi there! I admit I have been a terrible blogger over the last few weeks, and I have been desperate to do a couple of posts but just have not had the time! The last long post I wrote blogger kindly deleted it all and I gave up in frustration! I have been so busy since I've started back at uni, I've only been back 2 weeks but I could already use a break from our amount of work, and wish I was just back on holiday somewhere sunny! I sort of like the fact it’s gotten quite cold and wintery here in Southampton, all the leaves are over the parks and it looks quite pretty, and I have missed wrapping up in scarves and warm socks, although I hate having to walk to uni in the freezing cold for 9am seminars. All the carnivals are happening at home where I live in Somerset, and I’m sad I’ve missed some, I love a carnival and fun fairs in this time of year! I can't believe it's Ocotober already, where has the year gone!? Here are some updates on fun things I've been doing. :)

 Work work and more work! Starting my 2nd year came as a bit of a shock after 5 months off for summer doing absolutely nothing. When I'm not at uni or doing anything else (I'm finding I have to find time literally whenever I can!) I get all the sketchbook work out or head to the library and focus myself. My bed has been covered in scissors, glue and paper pretty so many times, I make such a mess and it takes me ages to tidy up. I am sort of enjoying the workload though, it keeps me busy and there’s always something to do. I quite like our projects too. We have 2 sketchbooks to do, one finishing in a magazine style feature and a written piece, and one in a presentation and photo shop and cut and stick boards. I also have a fashion management and marketing unit which has set me into panic really, as I’ve never really done business or understood most of it before, but I have to write a report on Topshop, and it’s easier than it looks really, there’s just a lot of long words and graphs. It’s also really interesting looking into customer behaviour and a bit of physcology on the side, who knew fashion was so complicated! We’re also learning more on Photoshop, and our tutor is so much better than last year, and I’m now able to retouch a photo as if I worked for Vogue or something!

Nights out.. or lack of them. We haven’t gone out half as much as we used to, because we don’t really have the time! We hit fresher’s week and went to the ‘Big Night Out’, where unfortunately I caught fresher’s flu after a horrific 2 day hangover, and felt so run down I had to miss my second day back at uni because I couldn’t get out of bed. This was two weeks ago and I’m only just feeling better, It’s been horrible with everyone getting ill but it always happens, those pesky freshers bringing all their germs into Southampton! It was a great night though, and we have had a couple since then. Last weekend my friend from home Lorren came down and we went out which was great fun as I hadn’t seen her in a while. We also have a ‘Pimps and Hoes’ carnage later on this week so let’s see how that goes! I’ve definitely found the source of my hangovers that just seem to get worse throughout the year.. I drank hardly any vodka on Friday night, and I felt almost fine the next day. No more vodka for me, I think I’ll stick to schnapps and cider from now on! 

I’ve been trying (I really have) to be careful with my money this year. We’re saving a lot living in private accommodation rather than halls, but I’m seeing this as it means I can buy more clothes, which I really shouldn’t be doing! The next post to follow will contain a couple of my main purchases I’ve recently made. Money well spent for winter mind you..

We’re really being pushed this year to get ourselves out there as fashion professionals and keep up to date blogs and other social networks, as it’s a good way of getting yourself known and recognized, so I’m going to try so hard to keep my blog up to date as often as I can.

Hope you enjoy! :)

Autumn Wardrobe Update

With my student loan coming in next week when I begin back at uni, in the last week I have off I couldn't help but splash out on a few pieces to update my wardrobe that I needed (more wanted really!). I went into town looking for some decent winter boots that wouldn't break my budget, but instead came back with all of this! I hadn't been to New Look for some time, but I was surprised to find their new season clothing was really nice, and they had some amazing pieces in their sale which I snapped up (and I'm still looking for some boots!!).

 

The slipper style flats are from Primark. I had bought a leopard print pair a few months ago which got completely wrecked and started falling apart as I wore them with everything! I was pleased to find they'd come back into stock, and in loads of different colours too, so I got some new ones, and some black ones as they'd match everything too. For £6 they do only last a few months but you get what you pay for I guess! ..and they look so similar to more expensive ones from Topshop ect!

Leopard Print Blouse - £22.99 (£20.69 with student discount)

Dark Red Skinny Jeans - £16.99 (£15.29 with student discount)

Aztec Blazer - £14.00 (were £27.99)

Studded Leggins - £6.00 (were £14.99)

I picked up a lot of bargains on my trip! I couldn't get my 10% student discount off the sale items but I saved £4 overall which isn't bad! I loved this leopard print blouse as soon as I saw it, I thought I could dress it up for nights out or wear just with jeans and a wooly scarf for uni. I've wanted some dark red/maroon jeans for ages as this seems to be the staple colour coming in this season, and these ones fit really well and were reasonably priced. I'd usually go straight to Primark for coloured denim, but they let me down as their sizing was very odd, and they didn't stretch enough, where as I find these 'Yes Yes' jeans always good quality and the colour is perfect! And that I'd rather pay that bit extra for ones that I'd actually feel comfortable in. I loved the blazer as soon as I saw it on the sale rail. It's quite lightweight, but as it's getting colder outside and I thought it was the perfect cover up to keep my arms warm, and I thought it would jazz up a basic outfit. Also I could wear it during the day too as it's not overly smart. I'd also been wanting some wet look/studded leggins and grabbed these as soon as I saw them! Although having got them home I'm in two minds in weather I can pull them off, I'm not sure if they look really cool and different or I just look like a chav!

And now for my purchase of the day...

Heels - £14 (were £29.99)

The other night whilst I was out my wedge heels which I adored completley broke beyond repair! The straps just decided to break. I'd got them from eBay and only had them a few months and was gutted I had to throw them away as I'm quite picky about heels and how comfy they are, I always like to be able to last the whole night! I took a look at the shoes in New Look and came across these babies! I thought they were quite unusual and different from ones I'd usually pick, and I was looking for wedges really, but I really liked the chunky platform heel, and once I tried them on they were actually really comfy and easy to walk in. I'm so happy with them but I'm yet to wear them out, so we shall see If I fall over much in them!

I still need to take a trip home to pick up all my winter scarves and hats, then I think my winter wardrobe will be coming along quite nicely!

Holiday Antics

My and my boyfriend, James, had been talking about going on holiday together for a while and thought it would be something nice to do together before we start back at uni in October. To spend some time together and get some sun before the English winter sets in! It came to the week before and suddenly we realized we hadn't booked anything and started to panic. After a stressful week of arguing about where we should go, looking at pages and pages of hotels, we took a stab in the dark and just booked one 4 days before we wanted to set off! We chose a 4* hotel in Lanzorote. I hadn't been there before so I wasn't really sure what to expect, except I knew it was hopefully going to be very hot and sunny! The ryan air flights weren't all that great, and the price of the holiday has now left me a bit broke, but with all inclusive it was definitely worth it, and I had an incredible time! We'd never spent so much time together and I was worried we'd end up getting sick of each other, but we didn't at all and did so many exciting things together and made loads of great memories.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had such a great time and I'm so sad to be home! It was about 30 degrees and not a cloud in the sky every day. For the first 5 days we just relaxed by the pool, and had dinner and cocktails every night. I took the opportunity to get my tan on (with plenty of suncream of course!). On the last two days we did some touristy things, we had a trip on a catamaran boat where it sails along the cost, and then stops for a while to let you chill out, which was amazing. We sunbathed, went on a jet ski, snorkeled and swam in the sea, and had a lovely lunch and free cocktails. I have to say by the time I got off I was a little drunk... I was very drunk actually haha!

The day before we went home we had a tour of one of the volcanic national parks Lanzorote has. It was really interesting and we saw some amazing landscapes and an actual volcano! We also had a camel ride, which was so fun! James wasn't too keen but he came on with me. The camel behind us seemed to love me and had it's face right up against mine, was a bit scary! I'm very brown and didn't burn or peel at all, so I think I did pretty well and have achieved a lovely brown shade which will save me fake tanning for a while hopefully! We're talking about going on holiday next year now too, and can't wait to start traveling together again. It felt quite adult going on holiday as a couple but I really enjoyed it, and it wasn't too hot in September, and of course there were not many children as they're all back at school, so it was lovely and quiet with no screaming toddlers about! I'm so lucky to have gone on two holidays in one summer! It's my 21st next year I'm definitely going to start saving up to do something just as good for my birthday hopefully!

Born This Way Ball

Hello hello hello! I have been a terrible blogger these last few weeks and haven't posted anything in so long! I have had a really busy but great last few weeks which I'll update you on in following posts. I've even been on holiday number two of my summer, I am very lucky (although very broke) right now!

I wouldn't say I'm a die hard 'little monster' as far as Lady gaga fans are concerned, but who doesn't like to sing along to poker face and keep up to date with Gaga's latest crazy outfits? When I saw she was doing a tour in the UK I jumped at the chance to get a ticket, if anything just to get the chance to see one of the world's most famous pop stars in the flesh! My sister and I bought the tickets a good few months ago, and it came around so quickly, I have no idea where the last few months seemed to have gone! On the 9th September I traveled from Southampton to Andover, where my sister lives, and she drove us then to Twickenham stadium where she was performing. As soon as we got there (a good few hours before the show), we could hear her doing sound rehearsals from outside and I was more then excited! It was a beautiful hot September day, and waiting around was spent sunbathing outside the stadium. As we had seats we luckily didn't have to queue for days as some people had been, to get at the front which took the pressure off, and there were some people dressed in fantastic outfits (If you could call them that!).

 

The stadium was gigantic, I'd never really been to anywhere so big! We sat in our seats and watched the stadium slowly fill. It was still daylight when the supporting act The Darkness came on, and we rocked out to them! Not really knowing any of their songs apart from their hit 'I believe in a thing called love', their new album material seemed quite good, although I am partial to some rock music..

 

It was so exciting when Lady Gaga finally came on stage after hours of anticipation. It was lovely to see so many of her fans, young and old there all screaming for her! Having seats unfortunately I couldn't see as much as I'd have hoped, but it was still an amazing show, and I could see well on the screens either side of the stage. She sung note perfect, a really amazing live performer. In parts where she spoke to the audience she seemed so down to earth and thankful for her fans to have come to see her. Things thrown on stage she picked up gratefully,  and even pulled a girl on stage with her! I was a little bit jealous... It was so exciting to see her in the flesh, even if she was only a few millimeters tall from where I was sitting!

 

 

 I only got a few photos as for most of the time I was dancing/singing away! But it was a great atmosphere and worth the money! Being one of most controversial style icons of the recent times, It was a shame I wasn't closer because the outfits she was wearing were pretty incredible! After some research I discovered they were designed by Armarni. Here are some better close ups of the outfits. (Not my photos!)

 

 I think I'll be a more a bigger Gaga fan then I was after seeing her. I hadn't actually heard half of her new songs but I loved them all! It was a very long, hot sweaty day, but absolutely brilliant.

What do you think of Gaga's Ball outfits?