Night Out Essentials

Big night out on the town planned? Add the following to your shopping list...

Heels... not really my forte if I am honest, I am pretty useless when it comes to high heels and nine times out of ten I opt for a more comfortable option, but on that odd special occasion I do love a good ASOS pair, the fit is always perfect and the range of styles available means you can find the ideal pair to go with any outfit, my current favourite pair are the ASOS Positive pointed black high heels, this style is incredibly classic and the curve design really elongates the legs. I will be truthful though, these are most definitely style over comfort, that burn you get after wearing heels for too long? Yep, these sure deliver on that -these babies will kill your feet.

If I am getting all dolled up for an evening out I always like to have big, bouncy hair with lots of volume, to achieve that I use the Living Proof Instant Texture Mist, this can be used to prep the hair pre blow dry or as a finishing spray. This plus a backcombing brush equals big hair, I like to keep everything in place with a truly classic styling product - the L'oreal Elnet Hairspray, available in a variety of hold levels means there is something for everyone. If I am working with freshly washed hair then I like to use a couple of Velcro rollers through my parting for added oomph.

Last of all on my list but certainly not least is a big, dramatic pair of false lashes. Currently I am loving the Eylure 212's, these are bold, black and very full. To secure in place I use the Duo Lash Glue in clear/white, a steady hand and a pair of tweezers. I find I always have to trim my lashes slightly to fit the shape of my eye so have a pair of scissors handy too. Youtube is great for tutorials on putting on falsies if you are a newbie.

So in summary I like big hair, big lashes and high heels, what are your must haves for a night out? Comment below.

An Italian Outfit of the Day

 

 A modern twist on a classic Mad Men style skirt...

 

Here are a few snaps from my recent trip to Rome, after seeing stills from La Dolce Vita and having seen films like The Great Beauty I knew that Rome as a city is damn stylish, so when packing my little suitcase I knew I needed to pack my A game style wise. 

I brought along my Pull and Bear blazer/jacket as it is an incredibly versatile piece of outerwear, it goes with just about anything and is a great way to smarten up a more dressed down look. The pop of colour in this look is a bright yellow vintage skirt that I picked up from Dirty Harry's, I also styled it with a vintage yellow leather bag, this is such a classic statement accessory as is the silk Parisian style scarf from Beyond Retro.To pull the look together I wore a simple fine knit three quarter length jumper from Brandy Melville, this is such a flattering and wearable top, I could live in this! Here is the full low down on this look:

Blazer - Pull and Bear

Jumper - Brandy Melville

Skirt - Dirty Harry's in Brighton

Yellow Bag - Beyond Retro Brighton

Silk Scarf - Beyond Retro Brighton

Gold Necklace - Camden Market

Black Tights - New Look

Shoes - Primark 

 

Sundays in Brighton

A new favourite shop and an old favourite restaurant... 

Brighton is one of my favourite places to spend a Sunday afternoon, there are so many lovely places shop and eat, another place we stumbled across one our last wonder through the lanes is Workshop, a sweet home wear and lifestyle shop in Prince Albert Street that has a passion for simplistic designs and products that are created out of materials that really stand the test of time, this little gem has also been featured in Decor magazines like Elle Decoration and Homes and Gardens Magazine. Shelves are stacked with Honest Candles that smell Divine and an old sink is used to display handmade vegetable soaps, Enamel and stone wear fills the display stands and wooden utensils fill wire baskets all around the shop.

For dinner we headed to JB's American Diner on the seafront, it was packed so we had a little wait for a table but it was definitely worth it, I went for my favourite which is the Chili Dog, best thing on the menu in my opinion, I would recommend paying the extra for cheese if you are really pushing the boat out, and most definitely wash it down with a milkshake, you can't really go to JB's without ordering one so make sure you do, the 'Milky Way' is my shake of choice.

Here is a few snaps... 

OOTD - Blue Moon

Keeping it classic in Navy... 

Navy is such a wearable colour I often consider it in the same category as monochrome, it is very classic and chic. I sometimes think I could live in this little ASOS number, it is such a flattering a-line shape and the crotchet texture adds a real bohemian vibe. I paired it with my New Look Blazer style coat, a Topshop satchel style bag and black pumps. This look is great for the transition into spring as the dress is super lightweight and has little short sleeves for if the weather is hot enough that you need to remove the jacket, it is also really easy to update this dress for dinner or drinks in the evening.

I kept my jewellery minimal with a gold charm necklace from Camden Market and vintage style coin studs from River Island, I also wore this statement ring that I picked up from Topshop in their most recent sale, the centre stone looks like Jade and is surrounded by pretty green gems.

How would you style this ASOS dress?

Simple Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so here are two simple easy to rustle up recipes for you to sink your teeth into...

Up first is my favourite of the two - One cup pancakes, a classic Jamie Oliver recipe that requires no measuring, all you need is a mug. Here are the deets -
One cup of self raising flour
One cup of milk - you can use skimmed if you're being health conscious.
One large egg
Whisk the three ingredients well and heat a non stick frying pan, use a ladle to spoon the mixture into the pan, wait until you see little bubbles appearing on the batter and then flip over, cook for the same amount of time on the other side and you are done, this recipe makes a lot, definitely enough for two hungry people at breakfast time. I served mine with sliced banana and agave syrup and it was delicious.

Next is a real basic - scrambled eggs, this is definitely more of a mid week breakfast as it is super healthy and leaves you feeling full until lunchtime, I served mine with crispbread. All you need is -
Two eggs
One tablespoon of ketchup
A sprinkling of black pepper
A small hand full of spinach
Break the eggs into a bowl and whisk together, add the spinach, heat a non stick frying pan and add a little butter, next pour the mixture into the pan leaving it to cook for about thirty seconds, then slowly stir the mixture using a wooden spoon making sure the eggs are all cooked. Take off the heat and serve, easy! Top with your ketchup and sprinkle on the black pepper for added flavour.

What are your favourite recipes for breakfast time?

Where To Eat: Brighton - The Creperie

When it comes to finding nice places to eat in Brighton it is hardly a struggle, The Creperie is one of Brighton's little gems that still feels somewhat undiscovered...

Nestled right along the coastline near the iconic Pier it is in the perfect setting when you are in the mood for a seaside snack, whether you are after something sweet or savoury this is the place to be. The menu was created by Karen Samuel and is packed with mouth watering delights like sweet crepes, waffles with chocolate and fruit, there is also a wide range of gelato and sorbet and some seriously delicious savoury dishes like the Mediterranean crepe filled with roasted vegetables including courgette, aubergines and peppers. On my most recent visit I chose the 'Soft and Mallow' sweet crepe - a freshly made soft crepe filled with white chocolate and baby marshmallows that had melted and turned into a truly tasty gooey mess - definitely one I recommend!  

The décor is also one of the reasons it is one of my favourite places in Brighton, it is a classic mix of French and English, filled with vintage enamel wear and cookery books filling the shelves behind the seating area.

Next time your visiting Brighton go and check out The Creperie, you won't be disappointed!

Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter

Dressing for Autumn is a lot easier than Summer, the jeans can come out in full force along with all those cosy winter layers, here is an outfit I put together for a lazy Sunday afternoon, details below...

I treated myself to a new pair of classic black jeans for this Autumn, I first saw the Asos Ridley Jeans on Alix from I Covet Thee, she wore them in a recent blog post with a checked shirt and I just loved the rips and the fit of them, they are high waisted and super comfy so I can definitely see myself getting a lot of wear out of these! The Iron Maiden tee was an absolute steal from To Be Worn Again in Brighton, I love the black on black look of this outfit, a leather jacket would really toughen this look up, and also add that all important extra layer now it has started to get a little chilly in England. 

What are your favourite pieces for Autumn? 

Iron Maiden Top - To Be Worn Again, Brighton 

Jeans - Asos Ridley Jeans 

Shoes - H&M

Hat - Asos

Sunglasses - Brick Lane Vintage Shop

Necklace - Native Wolf

I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement

After watching The Ramones documentary End of the Century  I felt pretty inspired to dig out my old Ramones tee along with a summer staple - the denim shorts and update the look for Autumn... 

Shorts - Topshop

Top - Brighton Laines

Tights - New Look

Shoes - H&M

Hat - Asos

Autumn Style Essentials

Autumn layers, stripes and tartan...

With the weather slowly transitioning from the warm Indian summer we have been enjoying into the cold, wet weather of recent it was time for me to add a few extra layers to my usual attire, this stripped Topshop dress with the dropped hem is so easy to dress up or down, I paired it with my beloved leather jacket, I love this bomber style, I purchased this years ago from New Look and added a few studs onto the collar, another New Look find is the tartan scarf, I think Tartan will be big this Autumn/Winter.

Hat - H&M

Dress - Topshop

Scarf - New Look

Jacket - New Look

Bracelet - Camden market

Shoes - Primark

What are your favourite trends for the colder months?

Day to Night

Subtle styling changes can take a pretty floral dress from day to night...

I picked up this dress from Bershka a couple of weeks ago, it has a super pretty floral print that is easy to dress up or down, for a more casual event such as lunch with friends I paired this dress with a Topshop leather jacket and my H&M black heels, the leather adds another dimension to the outfit giving it a tougher edge. For the evening look I wore the dress with my vintage fur wrap and a pretty clutch from a charity shop, I also went for a dark lip to keep with the old Hollywood glamour theme.

Dress - Bershka

Jacket - Topshop

Bag - Charity Shop

Fur Wrap - Vintage

Shoes - H&M

Earrings - Brighton Laines 

Lipstick - Rimmel 107

Nails - The Body Shop Minty Amour

How would you style this dress?