Festival Fashion

After seeing lots of celebrities looking absolutely fabulous at this years Coachella in California, I have become slightly obsessed with festival fashion once again! It's one of my favourite looks of all time because I think that festivals allow you to be really unique and play up your own sense of personal style! One of my favourite celebs that gets this style just right year after year is Vanessa Hudgens - she is definitely one of my major style crushes! So with that in mind, I decided to put together my very own music festival inspired look. All of the items featured are from Topshop, Miss Selfridge and New Look (three of my fave high street shops!) 

Hand Crocheted Bralet - £36.00
Crochet is one of the most popular trends during festival season and this top fits the bill perfectly! I love the rusty red colour of this one in particular. What I also like about this bralet is that the straps are relatively thick, so you can still get away with wearing a bra with straps on it for some extra support!

Floral Tile Print Shorts - £28.00
The pattern of these shorts match the crop top perfectly and they make such a cute combo! I think that you really cannot go wrong with a pair of high waisted shorts as they cinch you in at the waist, which gives you a lovely silhouette.

Geo Cutout Ring Pack - £8.50
This set of gold midi rings are so simple, yet really on trend and wearing multiple rings on each hand really jazzes up an outfit and takes it to the next level.

Semi Precious Stretch Bracelet - £8.50
Of course, this bracelet also ties in with the outfit perfectly! I love the design of this and I think it just adds that little something extra to this already adorable outfit.

Tan Buckle Front Saddle Bag - £10.99
Of course, at any festival you need a bag to store your essentials in and this one is the perfect size. It's really practical as it has a strap so that you can wear it securely across your body and it will not slip off of your shoulder in and amongst the crowds. Plus, the tan colour contrasts really well with the red and black outfit.

Tan Chain Front Ankle Strap Sandals - £22.99
To math the saddle bag and bring the whole outfit together, I have chosen these lovely flat sandals from New Look. It is vital to wear shoes that will be comfortable all day long yet still be fashionable at the same time. I love how the gold chain detail coincides with the jewellery that I have chosen too!

So guys, that is the festival inspired look that I have put together for you! Whats your favourite item? Are you going to any festivals this summer and what will you be wearing? I'd love to know, so feel free to leave me a little comment down below!

My 5 Spring/Summer Goals

Hi guys, today's post is a little different to my usual fashion & beauty offerings, however, I wanted to write a blog post that means a lot to me! Lately, I have been thinking a lot about what I want to achieve as we go into spring and summer. If you have been following my blog for a while now; you may or may not know that I have suffered with anxiety & panic attacks since I was about 10 years old and my condition has gotten a lot worse over the past few years. My anxiety affects a lot of aspects in my life including social events, travelling and working. So much so, that I have actually been unemployed for quite a while now due to the fact that the thought of being back in a workplace is something that overwhelms me every single day. 

With that in mind, I have decided that this year is the year that I am going to change my circumstances and try to make my life both fun and well-rounded once again! So, I wanted to share a few of my goals that I aim to accomplish this year!

1. Go on more adventures
My anxiety has stopped me from doing a lot of things in the past and I always feel like I am missing out on some of the best years of my life. I feel like I need to embrace being a young, almost 21 year old a little more! Whether its stepping out of my comfort zone by saying 'yes' to that party or finally going away for a special trip with my boyfriend of over a year. I want to explore a little more and say a big f*** you to my horrible anxieties that have been holding me back all this time!

2. Find a part-time job
Now that I feel a little more stable what with having regular counselling sessions and a medication that works for me, I want to ease myself back into a working environment. I feel like getting a part-time job is now something that feels a lot more manageable to me. I definitely don't want to go back into full-time employment straight away, as I don't want to overwhelm myself, but this goal seems like the perfect stepping stone.

3. Become healthier
Due to being at home so much, I often have the tendency to eat out of boredom and even though I have always been a petite girl, I have noticed my weight start creeping up on me. Although I am not super unhealthy, snacking is a bad habit of mine and I would like to keep it in check and to lose a few pounds before slipping back into my pretty summer dresses. I would also like to start doing some light yet enjoyable exercise to shift those calories and to release lots of feel-good endorphins into my body. Apparently, exercise is a great outlet for those with anxiety!

4. Appreciate my life 
As I am an avid worrier, I feel like I sometimes forget to simply stop and look around me. Although I have my problems and my struggles, just like everybody does, I am still an incredibly lucky person! I have a supportive family, great friends and a lovely boyfriend who all care about me a great deal. I have three meals a day, a roof over my head and lots of luxuries that others simply do not. I definitely need to remember that more often!

5. Gain more confidence
Last but not least, I want to finally find my inner confidence. I am my own worst critic and I think I need to remember not to be so hard on myself. Who cares if there's a photo of me from a night out where I'm not looking my best or if I have a pimple. I need to remember that we are all beautiful in our own way, even if it is hard to think of yourself in that way sometimes!

Although this was an extremely different post to normal, I hope that you enjoyed reading about my hopes and aspirations for the up an coming months. I am hoping to achieve all of these goals over the next few months, as I really want to better myself and my life. I hope I can somehow inspire some of you to do the same too! Do you have any goals that you would like to put into motion this spring/summer? Please let me know by leaving a comment below!

A Spring Outfit: Topshop

Spring has officially sprung here in the UK - hooray! The weather is finally on the up and daffodils are now rearing their heads left, right and centre. With that in mind, I have been feeling particularly inspired clothes-wise and so today I wanted to create a cute little spring outfit for you all. This is purely a Topshop based outfit post but all of the items featured (apart from the statement handbag) are rather cheap as far as Topshop's usual prices go, which is of course an added bonus.

As some of my regular readers will probably know by now, I love anything monochrome and so this Daisy Cropped Tee (£22.00) is right up my alley! I am a sucker for floral patterns too, so I just had to create an entire outfit to compliment this girly cropped number. Now that the temperature outside is no longer freezing, wearing these Bleached Mom Shorts (£28.00) would make a nice change to the jeans that we have been donning for the past few months! Although, if its not quite warm enough wear you are yet, feel free to throw on a pair of black tights! Now for the star of the show; this Suede Fringe Backpack (£55.00.) As I mentioned above, I have been loving the gorgeous daffodils that I have spotted around my neighborhood over the past few weeks and I though why not add a statement yellow bag into the mix. Backpacks are not only in this season but they are very practical too! Plus, the tassels add an extra cool textural element to the entire outfit. To finish off the outfit, I decided to add these Pointed Skater Shoes (£20.00.) Skater shoes are really popular at the moment as they are a comfortable yet stylish pair of flat shoes that make a change to wearing a plain pair of ballet pumps, for example.

To accessorise, I chose this Semi Precious Shield Ring (£10.00) and this Thin Ball Bangle (£5.00.) As the ensemble itself is already quite busy, what with the floral motif of the t-shirt and the super bright bag, I decided to keep the jewellery rather simple. Stone rings are all the rage right now and I thought that the bracelet was pretty yet understated at the same time. 

That's all for my spring outfit guys! What do you think? What is your favourite item? I am thinking about making this into a little spring series and creating outfits based on other shops too eg. Miss Selfridge, New Look and so on. Please let me know if that is something you would like to see from me! I hope that you're all having a lovely Easter weekend so far and I'll be back soon for yet another blog post :)

Mini Forever 21 Haul

Yesterday, I went out shopping with my Mum and she treated me to a few pieces from Forever 21. For the past couple of weeks, I have been attempting to update my wardrobe for spring & summer and so far I have found some gorgeous items. Forever 21 is a great store to go to when you want to get lots of things in one go because not only are their clothes really stylish, they are super affordable too! It is by my favourite store to shop in. Anyhow, without rambling on for too long, here are the three items I picked up.

First up is this stunning Floral Lace Mock Neck Top (£12.00.) I have been looking for some more dressy tops recently to pair with some high waisted jeans for when I go out to somewhere that doesn't require wearing a full on dress and heels combo. I loved this top in particular because to me, lace looks very sophisticated yet sexy at the same time. It is ever so slightly cropped which means that you one show a slither of skin. You could wear this top with a cropped black vest underneath it but I think wearing just a lplain black bra underneath would look amazing too. I can't wait to wear it!

The next thing I picked up with this cute Tribal Print Cami (£8.00.) I have really gotten into wearing camis lately as they are so girly and comfortable to wear. I also love the tribal print trend and so this top is the perfect fit for me! There was also a blue version of this top but I opted for this orange and brown colour instead as I do not have many neutral shades in my wardrobe like these. I know that I will definitely get a lot of wear out of it, in fact, I am wearing it as I type this post right now!

Lastly, I picked up this Striped Crop Top (£5.00) is it is a great basic to have within my wardrobe. Although on the website it is the price listed above, I actually found this item whilst browsing the sale rail and managed to snatch it up for a mere £1.99 - what a bargain! As with the other items in this haul, I know that this top will become a new staple for me as it is just so versatile.

So, those are the three items that I snapped up yesterday. What do you think of them? What are you doing to update your spring/summer wardrobe? I'd love to know, so please don't hesitate to leave a comment below!

TOP PICKS: Missguided

Over the weekend in the UK, we were blessed with some beautiful and relatively warm (for this time of year) weather. The clear skies and flowers starting to bloom really made me excited for spring time and for me that means one thing; updating my wardrobe! Every shop either online or on the high street now have lots of spring clothing in store already and it has inspired me to make a blog post from one of the best fashion sites around - Missguided. There were so many beautiful pieces that I found but I have finally managed to whittle it down to just a few of my favourites aka my 'top picks.' Here are the six items that I chose:

Crepe Khaki Floral Skater Dress - £25.00
To me, this dress just embodies spring! The fresh pastel colours mixed with the khaki green background is really unique and is perfect for this time of year. Plus, skater dresses suit a wide range of body shapes too.

Greta Paperbag Checked High Waisted Shorts - £20.00
These shorts really caught my eye as they are quite different from anything else I've seen online lately. I love the monochrome checked pattern and the paperbag waist really draws attention to your waist and makes it look teeny weeny!

Gingham Chiffon Peplum Shell Top - £18.00
The gingham trend is always huge during spring, it reminds me of the countryside and that classic milk-maid style. The peplum detail makes this top even more flattering too and the fact that its cropped means it would look great with a pair of white high-waisted skinnies too.

Scallop Lace Zip Back Shell Top - £22.00
I think it's clear to see that pastel blue is going to be an big trend this spring. The colour adds a lot of freshness to an outfit and this lace top has an element of class about it too; it would look great dressed both up or down, depending on the occasion.

Floral Bandeau Skort Playsuit - £30.00
This playsuit jumped out at me straight away. Of course, florals are always a consistent trend during spring time and I think that this would be the perfect outfit for going out with the girls or for a more formal event.

Bandage Asymmetric Hem Mini Skirt - £15.00
Last but not least is another outfit that would look stunning on a night out. The dusky pink colour is gorgeous and I think that both pieces are gorgeous. Plus, you can never go wrong with a bodycon co-ord, they are super sexy!

So those are my top picks for spring from the Missguided website, I hope that you like them as much as I do! Also, I am thinking about making my 'top picks' into an ongoing series on my blog, so please let me know if you would like to see more fashion posts like this in the future too! What are you most looking forward to as we go into spring time? What's your favourite spring trend that you've seen so far? Please let me know by, as always, leaving a comment down below!

Missguided Spring Fashion: Bodycon Dresses

Hi guys. I have always been a fan of bodycon dresses as they tend to suit my petite frame really well, they are my go to choice outfit wise if I am going on a night out. This spring, Missguided have come out with some amazing bodycon items and I could not resist sharing some of my favourites with all of you. The colours and patterns of all six of the dresses I have chosen are so pretty and are a lot more interesting than the standard LBD's that you usually see. Not only this, they are super affordable too - these particular dresses range from just £19.99 to £24.99. So, let's delve straight in!

Agentha Floral Panel Halterneck Bodycon Dress - £24.99

First up is this gorgeous halterneck style dress. The colours on this dress are so vivid and the geometric shapes mixed with the subtle floral print is extremely unique. Plus, the black mesh detailing adds a little something extra too. You would definitely turn plenty of heads in this little number!

Lotye White Mesh Panel Bodycon Dress - £19.99

Next is this bright white mesh dress. Although the design is relatively simple, it's still a really great dress. I can only imagine how amazing this would look when you have a tan! Seeing as the dress is so plain, you could definitely add some statement heels or jewellery to take it to the next level.

Brynna Monchrome Asymmetric Bodycon Dress - £24.99
This dress is seriously amazing, the pattern is so unique and intricate! Although it is monochrome and not really along the spring/pastel theme running through out this post, the asymmetric hemline brings it right up to date. I can see this dress being extremely popular!

Mulika Contrast Bodycon Dress in Snake Print - £24.99
This dress is so beautiful, yet very understated at the same time. I love how the snake skin print is quite subtle and not too in-your-face, like some animal print dresses can be. This teamed with the mint colour block strip at the hem is a really cool combination!

Oticka Floral Asymmetric Mini Dress - £24.99
This is my favourite dress of the bunch. The floral pattern is absolutely gorgeous and the colours are so appropriate for spring! The white band around the waist really cinches you in too, giving a really nice silhouette. Plus, similarly to the monochrome dress above, the asymmetric wrap over detailing adds a little something extra.

Mikayo Mint Bodycon Dress With Mesh Detail - £24.99
Last but not least is this lovely mint number. Just like the white mesh dress above, although it is a simple design, there is something so striking about this dress. I can imagine that it will suit lots of skin tones and flatter many figures too. Plus, the mesh band gives that subtle amount of exposed skin, which is really sexy!

So, that's it guys. I hope you all enjoyed reading about my favourite bodycon dresses from Missguided. Their spring wear is so on trend and affordable, I really cannot rave about this brand enough. Which dress is your favourite? What will you be wearing this spring? Please let me know by leaving a comment below. Thank you!

Mini Haul | H&M, Forever 21 and Boots

Hi guys. Today I thought that I would share with you a couple of bits that I have acquired over the past two or three days. With spring well and truly underway, I have been attempting to update my wardrobe a little and for me, this means one thing and one thing only - florals! When it comes to clothing, I love patterns and I always seem to be drawn to anything flowery. This may mean that my style is very predictable, however, I know that they suit me as well as make me feel pretty and feminine. In addition to this, I also picked up one of my favourite skincare items in Boots too. So, let's get started on this mini haul!

H&M Floral Playsuit - £12.99
First up is this gorgeous playsuit from H&M. I am a huge fan of playsuits in general as I think that they suit my petite frame really well and I love that they make you feel a little more secure than dresses (I hate the mishap of wearing a dress on a windy day!) However, what drew me in to this particular one aside from the floral pattern is the back. The cross over straps add a really detail and unique touch to the design. For now, I am going to wear tights with this but if the weather in the UK ever heats up during summer, it will look stunning paired with some simple black sandals too.

Forever 21 Floral Fuse Crop Top - £5.50
Next is this really cute crop top from Forever 21. I absolutely love wearing crop tops and this monochrome one is right up my alley. I love the silhouette that a crop top creates when paired with something high waisted on the bottom half; I think this top will look great with my Topshop Joni Jeans. Not only this but Forever 21 crop tops are such great value, at a mere £5.50 how could anybody resist?!

Forever 21 Tropical Floral Bodycon Dress - £12.00
Carrying on with the floral theme, this tropical bodycon dress was my next purchase. Initially I thought that this was a little too vibrant and loud for me but after trying it on, I am in love with this dress. It fits like a glove and the tropical print is very striking. I think that this will look really nice with a bright pink lip for a night out, however, I think I could probably find a way to tone this dress down to be worn in the daytime too. Although there are a few differences between the two, Topshop have got a very similar dress in stock at the moment (see here) but at a fraction of the price, this dress is definitely the way to go!

Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean 3 in 1 Cleanser - £8.00
Last but not least is one of my favourite skincare products. The Peaches and Clean cleanser is so great at breaking down and removing my make-up, no matter how much I am wearing. I use this product both in the morning and the evening as it is just so refreshing and it makes my skin super soft. It's peach and menthol scent really makes your skin tingle as you are massaging it in, which makes it a great pick-me-up (especially in the morning time.) Ever since I started using this cleanser a few months ago, in conjunction with a few other products that I use daily, the condition of my skin has improved drastically. What makes this purchase even better is that I actually got it for £5.33, as there is a one third off offer on at Boots at the moment. So if you wanted to try this product out, I would grab it whilst the offer is still on!

I hope you all enjoyed reading about the fashion and beauty items that I have purchased this week. Which is your favourite item from the haul? What have you hauled recently? Please feel free to let me know by leaving a comment below. Thank you!

Rimmel London's Sun Shimmer Instant Tan 9-in-1 BB Perfector

Hi guys. Now that spring and summer are fast approaching here in the UK, it's time to whip out our skirts and dresses and embrace this wonderful change in weather. However, after hiding away our bodies during the majority of winter, we are probably all a little bit on the pasty side - unless you are a religious fake tanner all year round! After noticing my own paleness ahead of a girls night out, I decided to quickly nip into my local Boots in search of an instant fake tan that didn't break the bank. This is when I came across Rimmel London's Sun Shimmer Instant Tan 9-in-1 BB Perfector (£6.99) and I was intrigued to say the least. Of course we have all heard of BB creams for our faces by now but the thought of a BB body product excited me a lot!

Rimmel claim that this is a 9-in-1 product that softens, smoothes, moisturises, gives an instant tan, creates a healthy looking glow, evens out your skin tone, covers, perfects and lasts up to 24 hours. Now, that is an awfully big list of promises to make but I really do think that it does most of those things pretty well! This new product comes in two shades; Light Matte and Medium Matte. On the back of the packaging is a little table that tells you the intensity and the desired look that you can achieve with both shades. The light version has an intensity level of 1 that gives you a natural sunkissed look, whereas the medium has an intensity level of 2 that achieves a healthy bronzed glow.

I decided to opt for the light version as I didn't want to go too over the top. That night, my friend whom I was going out with helped me apply the product using a tanning mitt. You could use your hands if you prefer, although a tanning mitt does tend to give a nicer, more even finish. Seeing as using this product was a last minute decision on my behalf, I did not have the time to exfoliate and moisturise like I usually would before applying any type of tanning product. However, the creamy and thick texture of the lotion meant that it did not cling on to any dry patches of skin and it glided on seamlessly! With that being said, as well as the two instant tan shades, the brand have also brought out a Sun Shimmer Pre Tan Exfoliator (£3.99) which could come in handy, though any body scrub or exfoliator (or even exfoliating gloves) would do the trick.

All in all, the end result was lovely! Just like Rimmel claimed on the packaging, I got an instant tan that made me look super healthy and that evened out my skin tone, whilst being moisturising and softening at the same time. I am very glad that I decided to go for the light version as the finish was much darker than I first anticipated, meaning that I had to bronze up my face a lot in order for it to match my body - though that was to be expected! The only thing I would say that I do not think that this formula does last for up to 24 hours, although it is still very long wearing and it lasted extremely well seeing as I was in a clubbing environment. The next day, all I had to do to remove the product was simply use a loofah and some shower gel and viola, it was gone!

Unfortunately, no matter I did with my camera, I was not able to get a good swatch of the tan on my hand before and after application, so I have included this photo of me and my friends before we went out instead. I am on the far right and as you can see, despite being a light tan, the outcome was very dark. My friend (far left) uses St Moriz's Dark Mousse Tan (£4.99) and we both look similar in colour here! I'm not sure if I applied the tan a little too thick, so I might try and be really stingy with the amount of product next time to see if I can achieve a more natural look.

Overall, this new Sun Shimmer product has definitely impressed me and I have a feeling I am going to be using it a lot from now on! Have you tried this product yet? What do you think of it? Please let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below. Thank you!

Forever 21: Spring/Summer Crop Tops

Hi guys. It has been one of those days where I have been browsing through multiple clothing websites, lusting after all of the spring and summer items that have suddenly started to appear. After having a few sunny days (though it's still cold) here in England this week, it has made me long for the summer months where I can simply slip on a floral dress and some sandals! I am a huge fan of crop tops; especially in the summer but all year round too and whilst I was on the Forever 21 website, I saw so many that caught my eye. Therefore, today I thought that I would share with you my favourites from the bunch. 

I absolutely love Forever 21 as a brand due to the fact that their clothing is always on trend, yet it is incredibly inexpensive. Sometimes it's true that you get what you pay for but another great thing about Forever 21 is that they never scrimp on the quality of their items. They are always a good quality fabric that is extremely durable. 

I would say that the only downside to the brand is their sizing. Rather then clothes sizes, Forever 21 label their items as small, medium and large. As I am a UK size 6 to 8, you would think that I would definitely fit into the small category but even some small items are too big for me (crazy right?) So, sometimes I have to guess whether something will actually fit me or not before I decide to buy it. I'm not sure if anybody else has this problem but it is something that I have come across quite regularly. Although the brand do stock some items in an extra small, this is very rare and unfortunately it is never in the items that I actually want. Despite all of this, Forever 21 have some amazing new items at the moment and here are the six crop tops that have made the list, enjoy!

Moi Crop Top - £12.00

I love this top as it is so versatile. It could be worn with skirts, shorts or jeans and is great for a relaxed, everyday look. The fact that it is monochrome is an extra bonus for me seeing as I always seem to predominately wear black and white.

Sweet Thing Floral Crop Top - £5.50

This is probably my favourite top out of all six. It's ditsy, floral print just screams spring/summer and the detailing on the back adds that extra special something that sets it apart from any other floral crop top that I have seen before!

Bored Floral Crop Top - £8.75

I love the way that this item has been styled here. I am a lover of more edgier, rocky outfits and this boxy crop top certainly fits the bill. Plus, you could always throw on the check shirt if it gets chilly (especially with how temperamental the weather is if you live in the UK like me!

Trippy Paris Crop Top - £10.50

This top stood out to me as it resembles the ever so popular designer Céline t-shirts. Also, similarly to the 'Moi' top above, this crop top is very versatile and will go with absolutely anything.

Total Stud Crop Top - £12.75

This item is definitely the dressiest of the bunch and would look amazing on a night out. The gold studs definitely give this top a punky edge too! Personally, I would pair it with some disco pants or some high waisted shorts.

Classic Floral Crop Top - £7.25

Last but certainly not least, this top would be great for everyday and is very casual. I love the combination of the blue flowers against the denim shorts too, it's super flattering!

I hope you all enjoyed reading about my six favourite crop tops from Forever 21. Which one was your favourite? Their website is full to the brim with some great stuff right now, so go and check it out if you are after some new spring and summer clothes that will not break the bank!

My Month Via Instagram - April 2013

Hi guys! Seeing as it is pretty much the end of the month now, I thought I would do a little post showing what I have been up to all throughout April.

1. This month, I have decided to go on a major health kick. I made a super healthy Caesar salad and it was amazing! I have a really terrible immune system and am constantly ill, so I feel like changing my diet may help me a great deal. Plus, now we are approaching the summer months, it cannot hurt to tone up a little bit too. I have started doing aerobics and Pilates a few days a week too. Sometimes I fall off of the wagon and eat junk or get a little lazy, but overall I am quite happy with my progress.

2. This month, I finally had to say goodbye to my first car (who I named Clive the Clio.) There was no way that it would have passed it's MOT at the end of the month, so sadly I had to say au revoir! I part-exchanged this car with my new car (see below.) It was really strange because on my last drive in Clive, I felt incredibly sad. Sure it had a lot of problems, but it was my first car so I will always love it!

3. Even with what I said above, I absolutely love my new car! Of course, I have carried on  the tradition by naming my new car Clifford. I decided upon this name purely because of it's colour, and yes, I am referencing Clifford The Big Red Dog. Some people think that naming your car is silly, and I guess in a way it is, but it's a tradition that I will probably continue throughout my life!

4. As mentioned in a previous post, I finally purchased John Green's book 'Looking For Alaska.' after hearing many rave reviews from friends and seeing a lot of quotations from it on Tumblr, I thought I must read it. I can happily say that it lived up to my expectations and I read the entire book in under 48 hours. I think it's safe to say that I was hooked!

5. In a nutshell, my Mum has been very stressed out lately and has been working a lot over the past couple of weeks. So, on my way home from visiting a friend one day, I decided to pop in to the florist and buy her some flowers to cheer her up a little :) I picked up this particular bouquet because the colours were extremely vibrant and I thought that they would brighten up our living room.

6. These past few days have felt a lot more like spring/summer. Whenever the sun rears its head in rainy England, everybody makes the most of it. As I haven't had a lot on over the past few days, I took the opportunity to do a bit of sunbathing. With just two afternoons in my garden, I actually have a nice little tan developing. As you can see in the photo above, I was wearing these cute little shorts from Primark. They only cost £4 and are part of their beachwear range. I absolutely love the floral and butterfly print, plus they were an absolute bargain!

I hope you have enjoyed this post and please let me know if you think I should make this a monthly thing, explaining what I have been up to and so on :)