Shopping Haul

Hey everyone! I hope you are all great :) I've had a quiet week so far, my boyfriend has stayed with me in Southampton all this week, which has been great, but I'm so glad to just be chilling on my own tonight! It's also annoying having to cook two meals every night instead of one - uni students will know what I'm talking about!  I've also been really good and knuckled down with a lot of my uni work. With an extension on a deadline, it's relaxed the tension slightly, but I've been doing some decent library sesh's this week and can't wait to go out tomorrow, let my hair down and get very drunk! I needed quite a few beauty bits and a birthday present for my friend, so I decided I'd treat myself to some retail therapy this afternoon after sorting some notes out :)

With my friend's present taken care of, I hit Primarni. I'm always keen on finding gems in there, but recently I'd been disappointed with a lot of their products recently. However, their new spring/summer pieces are in, and I could have bought so much more than I did! Here's what I got:

I like to wear a lot of basics, and I wanted a white tee, but most of them in Primark are shocking, with horrible see through fabric and weird fittings. Although I saw these, and they're really nice, soft fabric with cute turn up sleeves. I got my white t-shirt, that isn't too see through (I wear tops under most things anyway) in a size 14 so it's slightly oversized, and a grey one in a size 20 to wear as a night tee. At £3.50 each I couldn't resist.

Cheeky fitting room snapshot! (excuse my top hem showing underneath!)

So.. a midi dress for £7. I'll take it! This t-shirt style midi will be perfect dressed down for the day, or up for a night out. Just perfect, what a bargain! I bought it in a size 6 though (2 sizes smaller then I am!) but it seemed to fit well, and I wanted to make sure it was more fitted, and wouldn't and loose shape if I had got it in a bigger size.

I loooooove this blouse! SO much! Okay, yes, it does look like a china plate pattern.. but there's just nothing not to love about this top. It's a perfect length with an asymmetric hem at the back, and has a really lovely vintage koi fish pattern. Love love love. This one was £12.

I've already got a black blazer, but it's quite formal and I'd only wear it for smart occasions. The fabric and texture (and pockets) make this one a lot more casual, and it'll be a really good jacket for when it's starting to get a bit warmer. It also had a tiny pull on it, so I complained and got a pound off, so it came to £14. :)

Ohhh I fell in love with this bag as soon as I'd laid eyes on it. With satchels being all the range, I thought this one looked so much more expensive than the £9 I paid for it, the studs just add an extra little something, and the size and pockets make it perfect for uni. So excited to use this!

Rings £3... bargain. Can never have too many rings :)

H&M:

I came across these lying about, the only pair, in my size (you know when it's fate!). Took them to the till, and on sale for £15 I snapped them up! My dearly beloved office boots are so worn out I'm having to take them to be fixed and re-heeled, and these ones are the perfect substitute. They seem comfy enough, and I really like the studs.

Beauty bits:

Here are all the beauty bits I needed! 

I like to have a big pot of intensive conditioner for my hair but they're usually so expensive. I picked this tresemme one up from boots on offer, they're usually about £5 + but this one was under £4!

My normal clean and clear moisturizer can be up to £4 in some places, so I've been looking for a cheaper alternative. This pretty 'Beauty Parlor' box caught my eye, a mattyfying moisturizer, and it was only £1.50! So I can't go wrong really. Also from savers (my favorite place to get bargains!) I got a base, strengthener and top coat for £1.99, a set of fake eyelashes for £1.99, imperial lather bath cream for £1, and then my usual foundation and concealer in superdrug, and my toothpaste in poundland!

I am scared to look at my bank balance now, but I know I won't need to go on a shopping spree again for a while! It makes me feel so good just to go out and buy things though!! I feel like I've definitely rewarded myself after that! Phhheeew. Now to relax for the rest of the evening..

Neon Pop Obsession

As you may (or may not?) be aware, this spring/summer's monochrome trend is being brightened up with neon pops, and they seem to be everywhere on the high street all of a sudden. My wardrobe being full of black from winter, I am gladly welcoming this trend, and am expecting to pick up many white pieces before summer hits. The main colour I've seen is that funny off green/yellow, that is so ugly you kind of have to love it without it's neon brightness, but also neon pink, orange and green. I love how the tiniest amount of a neon can transform an outfit from dull, to bang on trend.

From neon beanie hats to handbags, tops to bottoms, it seems that everyone is loving a neon pop.. including me! I am absolutely loving this trend, and am waiting for the right moment to bring out my yellow/green neon chiffon tee from forever 21, every time I get it out of my wardrobe I forget how bright it is, and I'm waiting for the event (and courage) to rock it with a basic outfit. I'm worried I may get mistaken for wearing a high vis jacket on the streets of Southampton..

I'm also on the look out for a neon bag, one that's not too expensive (I'm sure this trend will be over as quickly as it begun, so I don't want to be spending too much on something I'll never use again!) or in your face, and will add that bit of edge to my neutral wardrobe. If I had all the money in the world, I'd be snapping up a 'The Cambridge Satchel Company' neon satchel in the blink of an eye, but I'm just gonna keep hunting in Primarni for now. I also am really craving to get a neon yellow nail varnish! Neon nails are just amazing..(check out the bottom pic - I NEED this essie polish in my life!)

 I'm a big fan of Pintrest recently, and love just looking at so many random fashion images which can give you so many ideas. Searching 'neon pop' an amazing array of street fashion and catwalk images came up, showing you the perfect way to rock this trend, and just a few great images of neon things. Here are a few of my favorites! Enjoy :)

It's most definitely all in the details! Do you this this is a trend worth investing in, or do you think the neon pop fad will be gone before full on monochrome hits?!

OOTD - 28/2/13

Necklace/Bracelets - Topshop

Jumper - Urban Outfitters (vintage)

Leggings/Cross ring - Primark

Nails - Number 17 Parma Violet

Hello all! For some reason it feels like I have had a crazy manic week.. including feeling tired nearly all the time for no reason, stressed out because of my uni work, missing my mum, having to rescue my wasted boyfriend from a club in Southampton in the middle of the night (was not happy with him) and seeing my sister! gaaah so much to think about right now I think my brain is going to explode!

This is what I wore yesterday when I popped to the library to do a bit of work, before I met my sister in town. It's sad I haven't seen her since just after Christmas because we're both so busy, and she has a full time job now, but it was great to spend the afternoon shopping. I only spent £5 on a  way buffer nail file thing, some neutral polish, and some bendy rollers (that were a hideous waste of money, worst £1.50 I've ever spent!) so I was very good! I feel like I got all the shopping out my system for a while in London so I was quite happy browsing! I've been wearing this necklace constantly, and it's safe to say I'm not taking it back! It's such a gorge statement piece that I can put it with any outfit and it instantly glams it up.

 I even got stopped by a lovely girl asking if she could take a photo of me for her street style blog which I was quite taken back by! She also asked if my nails are real, and a couple of other people have too. No, they are real! and majorly long right now! Since I rounded them off a few weeks ago they've just seem to have grown and grown, and because they square corners don't get caught and break, they're all still in tact, and I'm loving them! I love all the compliments I get, although it's very odd typing and texting as I'm not used to them being this long. I also have to thank my mum for these nails, she has really long nail beds too like me, so even if they are really short they still look long! I am blessed :)

After this crazy week I am settled safe and sound in my bed, watching toy story 3 and about to do my nails. I'm heading home for a couple of nights this weekend, I think I need it! It's weird how much I miss my mum, even though I've been at uni for nearly 2 years I sometimes just need a home cooked meal, a  hug and a long chat. 

I hope everyone has had a good week! :)

Benefit 'They're Real!' Mascara Review

Hi all! As you may have seen in my last post, I received a 3g sample/travel sized benefit mascara with my Elle magazine subscription from London Fashion Weekend. I couldn't wait to try this mascara, as I'd seen so many bloggers raving about it, and was not disappointed! I thought i'd do a quick review (I don't usually do many, as I don't actually own that many exciting products!) but i was so impressed I thought I'd let the whole blogging world know! :) 

Benefit 'They're Real' full sized mascara

18g RRP approx. £18

Since starting uni, I've always been a Rimmel girl, but now the choices are just ridiculous, I end up overwhelmed and for the past few months I've just been buying £2.99 miss sporty mascara, convincing myself it does the job fine. That is until I tried this product.. oh geez. It is just amazing! I'm going to use this sample sparingly, as I know I would refuse to pay £20 for a mascara on my student budget!

The title alone 'They're real' radiates the fact that the product claims to make lashes 'beyond real' long, and it doesn't fail to disappoint. It claims that 94% of people saw dramatic length and volume, 90% saw base-to-tip curl, 94% saw visible lift, and 100& saw long wearing results.. and I definitely did! 

First off, I really like the packaging. My little one has a metallic lid, and the box is lovely, and minimal. It speaks for itself really. The full sized silver tube is a lot nicer, but hey, can't complain! The brush is plastic, and has very defined spikes to it, and even on the rounded end. I find when mascaras have this they usually give really good definition, and this one was no exception.

Before and After:

After:

I mean, wow. This product is fantastic. It only takes a thin coating and it makes an amazing difference to your lashes. It lengthens, darkens, thickens, and well, does everything a great mascara should. The brush is really good for picking up all the tiny lower lashes and the outer ones, to give you a really great fluttery eyelid. I don't have much else to say really, it's brill! It's really made me realize how awful my other clumpy, thick, cheap mascara is. I'm definitely a benefit mascara convert. My friend also thinks it's amazing, as she got a sample too, and said she had mascara all over her eyelid as her eyelashes were so long it was smudging when she put it on!

I think for the full sized product it would definitely be a good investment, and perhaps I should start saving now..? Does anyone else have this mascara? Are you as impressed as I am with it!?

London Fashion Weekend - Part 2! OOTD & goodies.

As promised here is my part two! This post will contain outfits, purchases of the day in London, and goodies! I usually like to edit/instagram my photos that I put on here, but my phone apps were playing up, so apologies for the dodgy lighting and overall quality of these pics! (I NEED an SLR in my life!!)

What I wore/OOTD:

I spent all week going into town wanting various things to create an outfit worthy of going to an event full of fashionistas, but also comfortable running around London. I stupidly thought i'd be hot as I'd be busy all day, but I was actually pretty freezing in this outfit. I did wear my coat, wooly scarf and fur hat thank goodness, so the outfit got lost under many layers for most of the day!

Shirt - Urban Outfitters

Necklace & Treggings - Topshop

I'd been umming and ahhing about disco pant style trousers for a while now. I've seen so many people wearing them, but I really despise the shiny ones! I'd been hunting ebay for some matte/legging type ones but had no luck, but when I saw Topshop start a range of mega high waisted jeans I was excited. I popped in store and found these beauties. I'm not really sure what to call them.. Treggings? They're alot thicker than leggings, and real stretchy and lovely! They're so high waisted they come to by belly button, which I really loved, and they were exactly what I was looking for. I thought they'd be perfect for day and night, and I wear leggings so much of time anyway, a nice thick pair would be a statement piece in my wardrobe till summer. They were £22.50 with my student discount, which I didn't think was too bad for a staple! They seem like really good quality too so hopefully they'll last a while. Although I thought it was very odd, I haven't bought an item of clothing from TS for a while, and when I tried on my usual size 10, I couldn't even get them up my legs. I'm quite skinny, these are a 12 but fit perfectly, I just thought the sizings came up really small! 

I decided to team it with my monochrome striped blouse from Urban Outfitters I picked up in the sale a couple of months ago (SUCH a good buy as they're absolutely everywhere now!) and a statement necklace. I bought this one from Topshop, and it was not a bargain at £12 (with student discount) but it's so lovely I had to have it. I'm still telling myself to put the tag back on and take it back but I just can't. It wants to be worn! I can think of so many outfits I could just add this too, and pow, statement round the neck.

Right so, that was my outfit! Now to some exciting goodies...

Elle Magazine Subscription:

At the event, not only did I pick up the march copy of Elle magazine for just £1 (bargain!) I also subscribed for a year! Being a fashion student I'm always wanting the latest mags, but I can never afford £4 + every month for one! I had thought about a subscription but I'm so glad I decided to wait until now! They were doing a subscription offer of £15 for a years subscription, 12 issues. That is correct, you heard me right, just 15 measly pounds for 12 issues, that's just £1.25 per issue! I couldn't believe what a good offer it was and signed myself up straight away. 

Not only did I get this amazing deal, but I got to choose a free benefit gift, either a mini make up set or a perfume, both RRP at £25! I chose the perfume as I knew I wouldn't really use a make up set, and well, I love perfume to be honest. To my surprise I was handed the 'lookin' to rock rita' perfume straight away in the re-usable elle bag which I gladly slung round my shoulder for the rest of the day! Not onlyyyyyy did I get all this, but also inside the bag was a voucher for a travel size/sample of the benefit mascara 'they're real'. I could not contain my excitement, I'd seen this mascara on so many blogs, and desperately wanted to try it. I'm so excited to start getting my elle magazine's hassle free, and to use my free goodies!

The adorable box sold me as it was, it's going to look so pretty sat on my desk! It smells amazing too, for some reason it reminds me of cocktails, pina coladas, and will definitely be my scent for spring/summer.

This mascara is pretty amaze too. I used it yesterday and it gives a beautiful, clump free application, and makes your lashes look really good. I'm worried I'm going to use this up too fast and be tempted to buy a full size one.. uh oh.

Oxford Street Haul:

Forever 21:

(arghh silly blogger, doesn't let you rotate!)

Top - £10.50

Necklace - £3.90

With spring slowly (very slowly) approaching, I'm dying to get some colour into my clothing. I've been heading towards a neutral rut all winter now, and I'm gladly welcoming the neon pop/monochrome trend. I'd seen this bright neon yellow/green colour everywhere, and when I saw this basic t-shirt style blouse in forever 21 at little over £10, I knew it'd be a great basic for this trend. I also picked up this pretty geometric silver necklace for under £4, which I thought goes really well with the top for a simple, sheek neon look. I thought teamed with my black treggings, it would be a great day or night outfit, without being too OTT. I was so excited to be in a forever 21 as they don't have one in Southampton, and desperately wish there was! It's so cheap and they have some amazing pieces in there.

Primark:

Jumper - £12.50

Clutch bag - £3 (sale!)

Rings - £1.50 & £2.00

I'd been wanting a white jumper for a while now (not sure why, you know when you just want something!?) and I thought I might as well grab this one whilst it was there in Primark. I'm not too sure if I like it though, I think it might be a bit too holey, I haven't really tried it on, but I can always take it back! This clutch was an absolute bargain at just £3 in the sale, me and my friend grabbed the last two! Also just picked up a couple of rings, as you can never have enough..

And here are a few other fun bits I picked up throughout the day:

London fashion weekend leaflets/ted baker catalogue/JW anderson Topshop poster/I also got a compeed blister sample!

So.. PHEW. Hope you enjoyed all that, sorry it was such a long post!

It was such a jam packed day, and I would recommend it to anyone to go!