IN GOOD COMPANY

Sometimes a girl just needs to chill out and have an evening in: relaxing, munching a few snacks and reading a good magazine. Although it's only Monday and we should supposedly be feeling refreshed from the weekend break, but sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the weekend to fulfill all our tasks/plans....so these little delights spill over our schedules! I was drawn towards Company High Street Edit first because of the gorgeous Alexa Chung on the cover but also because it was the bargain price of just £1. I must say I was very happy with what my £1 got me! In my opinion the High Street Edit is tons better than the original Company Mag. Not only is the layout and content great but it's an effortless read and provides you with all the fashion know how that you need! Anyone else read this months issue?

 LS X

DISSING THE DISS

Hello! Apologies for my lack in posting this week but I have been severely struggling with my dissertation, which has needless to say consumed the majority of my life this past week. I did however manage to attend a quick fashion show meeting for my university today- The Leeds Rag Fashion 2012 of which I am part of the committee so hopefully I will have some pictures and gossip from the run-up to the show to share with you soon! Anyway below are a few motivational quotes that I definitely need to keep in mind. So if any of you are struggling with work or are currently stressing out then I hope you find comfort in some of the lovely quotes below!

(Source: Pinterest)

(Source: Tumblr)

(Source: Tumblr)

Hope you've all had a good week!

LS X

PASTEL PERFECTION

So it seems that Pastels are the big trend for this Spring. From 3.1 Phillip Lim too Calvin Klein and Fendi the pastel colours are ruling the runway. So I thought i'd bag myself some high street fabulous pastels but strangely enough I struggled to find more than a few items per shop that fitted the pastel trend. The issue with online shopping for pastels, as I have found is that many stores have an option to shop by colour however this fails to include 'Pastel' which means you do really have to filter through every item of clothing to find the pastels. So I have done the hard work for you and scoured the high street web and below are my best finds. Lets hope that we will see more of the Pastel colours on the high street as at the moment it definitely seems to be slim pickings.

1. Topshop £28   2. New Look £19.99   3. Zara £59.99   4. Topshop £28   5. Very £24   6. Topshop £36      7. Zara £49.99   8. New Look £24.99

Leather Jacket: Topshop   Necklace: Charity Shop   Top: Topshop   Belt: Newlook   Skirt: Topshop

Above is a quick snippet of my outfit from today. It was my first class of the term so I literally wore the 'first day at school' look; a little skirt and white top.

LS X

MY KINDA CUP OF TEA

Being a bit of an organised freak I can't help but look for new ways to indulge my need of keeping things neat and tidy! This now seems to have spread across to my make-up, something that I struggle to keep tidy, as I have so much of it but I think it's such a shame to hide it away in a box where it can't be seen. Especially some of my favourite products like my Yves Saint Laurent lipstick that has beautiful casing, and to be honest probably spends more time looking pretty on my shelf than on my lips! Anyway I've recently found a new way of keeping my make-up organised whilst still looking pretty and remaining accessible. The Make-Cup. Teacups have recently come back in fashion and there are so many pretty styles available. If you want to keep it cheap then have a browse in a few second hand/ charity shops where you can often find some great vintage gems. My particular teacup in the picture below is actually from a car-boot sale and cost me all but £1!

Teacup: Car-boot sale £1

Thanks again for all your lovely comments on my previous posts. I hope you continue to enjoy my blog. Have a great day

LS X

LINKS À LA MODE

My blog featured in this weeks LINKS  À LA MODE so if you haven't already read my post on experimenting with multi coloured nails then take a look now! Also have a gander at some of the other great blogs featured this week!

The Woman in the Mirror Gonna Change Her Ways

By Jessie Thorpe of Denimology
It's January. It's a time for fresh beginnings, unknown adventures, and change. The new year is all about making personal progress.  Most peeps vow to go to the gym, stick to their diet, keep a tight budget or to quit biting their nails. Why not change your personal style instead?  You can be bold, be tough and take risks! Maybe you need to tone it down, dress your age or stop when more is really way too much! Whether your fashion goals for the year are to be a better blogger, feature top notch photos or be a fashion savvy dresser, surely there is a link or three here to spur on your metamorphosis.

THE IFB WEEKLY ROUNDUP: LINKS À LA MODE: JANUARY 19TH

• Are You Endearing: Life Lessons Learned From a Little Black Dress
• Brunette Blogging: A fun approach to the widely discussed tale of the fashion blogger
• Coming Unstitched: Found that perfect dress? Here's how to work it with every style.
• Denimology: Skinny, Slouchy or Drop Crotch? This Is The Question!
• Dressful: Bill Cunningham: The original street style photographer
• Fashionopolis: This winter bring out the brights!
• Fierce|Fabulous|Fit: Ways to make your blog mobile friendly in Blogger, Wordpress, etc.
• Grit and Glamour: 12 Ways to a Better Blog—and a Better You—in 2012
• Life of a Recessionista: DIY: Makeup Brush Cleanser
• Little Spindrift: Experimenting with rainbow nails...inspired by Miss Caggie Dunlop
• Oranges And Apples: Untangling ethical fashion
• Shrimp Salad Circus: Guide to Self-Portrait Photography - Lose the awkward, look amazing!
• Small Town, Big Wardrobe: "Fabulous" photos that didn't make it....
• Style Delights: What Kate Middleton, SJP & Mrs Obama taught us about statement necklaces.
• Sugar and Spice: How to... Survive your first season at Fashion Week
• The Chic Sheet: Sequin Leggings + A Sweatshirt...Why I Love A Good Contradiction
• The Closet Intervention: Why "accessible style" is anything but for the average American.
• The Fashion Edition: Spring's controversial trend, Pastels, and how to wear them edgy.
• The Fashionable Workout: Sweating Stylishly
• The Frugalista Diaries: DIY Dress For A Cause

SPONSOR:
New Shoes at Shopbop: Sergio Rossi, Jil Sander, Boutique9, Margiela, CK, Missoni, Sam Edelman, Jeffrey Campbell, Coclico Shoes, Minnetonka, Edmund Castillo & Badgley Mischka

PLEASE READ IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE
If you would like to submit your link for next week’s Links à la Mode, please register first, then post your links HERE. The HTML code for this week will be found in the Links a la Mode group will be published later today. ~Jennine

LS X

2 TONE

So this is my second post on experimental nail ideas, which means I must be finding the art of painting my nails very therapeutic at the moment! Anyway today I decided to try a dual colour look. Maroon being one of my favourite nail colours I chose to base the look around deep reds. Firstly I applied a base coat (as no-one wants permanently stained nails.) Then I chose a browny red and painted half of all my nails in this colour, I then applied a second coat after which I filled the un-painted side with my other colour (maroon red) and Viola! I purposely chose 2 colours that were fairly similar to create a more subtle look but im sure it would work just as well with 2 completely different colours to create a bold look!

Red: Rimmel no:320          Brown: 17 Cocoa Cabanna

(Sources: http://www.passionnailart.com/   http://honestlywtf.com/   http://www.polyvore.com/)

Above our some images that I found of inspirational nail ideas that I will definitely have to try out sometime. Although I think I may need to start investing in a few more nail colours and a nail art pen! 
 

LS X
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PLAY TIME

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

So today I didn't really have time to do a hugely fashion related post so I have just done a quick upload of the top 10 songs that have been keeping me sane the past week! As of course every Fashionista needs some good music to chill out to when reading a fashion mag or two! On another note (excuse the musical pun) this has got me thinking about doing a future post about bands/artists with influential fashion style, as a lot of the more on the edge and quirky trends tend to transpire from the music world. Until then I hope you enjoy the music and particularly listen out for Zee Avi, her song 'Concrete Wall' features in the latest episode of Gossip Girl and you can just tell that big things are set to happen for this lady!

P.S A big hi to all my new followers, and all my new followers from the Independent Fashion Blogger Community!

LS X

THE BIG CHILL

Well it seems as though Winter has finally arrived in Leeds with chilling temperatures. However on the upside this has meant I can put my recently purchased boots to the test. Below are a picture of my beloved old boots that have seen better days and I fear may be at the end of the road. Luckily over the Christmas period I found some replacement boots that have more than met my BOOT LOVING expectations. Firstly they were extremely cheap (especially as I paid nearly £70 for my old boots.) Secondly they may not be leather or suede but I love the colour and as it happens the cheap material of the boots is a lot easier to keep clean and maintain than my previous pair. They are comfortable and lastly they are dainty enough that I can still wear them with my skirts and dresses. 

If your like me and tend to form a dear attachment with your boots, below are some tips to make them last that bit longer!

• If they are leather or suede invest in some protection spray for extra resilience to stains and water.
•  Clean them at least once a month either with a damp cloth or wax.  
•  A tiny bit of hair conditioner rubbed into leather can help remove stains.
• When the heel is visibly worn visit a shoe repair shop and get your boots re-heeled for around £10.
• New laces or buckles can also be replaced at shoe repairers.

Coat: H&M    Head Band: Missguided

Well i'm off to the library now and am staying suitably wrapped up in in my furry headband and cosy coat.

LS X 

NEW GIRL CRUSH

At the moment my current highlight in a life consisting of solely dissertation are my 40 minute breaks from reality, watching American Teen Dramas! So when I heard about a series starring Zooey Deschanel I was of course happy to add her show 'New Girl' to my list of things to watch. After just 10 minutes into the first episode I felt highly skeptical that this would be car crash TV but as I found, if you keep on watching you can't help but fall in love with the show. It's definitely fairly corny at times but with heart warming moments and of course the gorgeous Zooey Deschanel who basically seems to be playing herself, not that i'm complaining. Anyway just thought i'd share with you all some beautiful photos I found of Z.D. I think she is a true style icon in the sense that she promotes natural, effortless beauty whilst still pulling off stylish and quirky looks. Especially as their are so many celebrities today that look so far from their natural selves.

Also here's a quick peak at my outfit from today, apologies for the fuzzyness of the photos!

Hat: Miss Selfridge   Cape: H&M   Necklace: Accessorize   Stripe Top: H&M   Watch: Urban Outfitters

Enjoy your evenings

LS X

NAIL THE LOOK

Just got back from my first Pilates class so felt like a little pampering. For me this usually means painting my nails, which has now become a bit of a obsession whereby I feel naked if they are not painted! Anyway I decided to try something different today, inspired by Caggie Dunlop from Made In Chelsea, I thought i'd give her rainbow nails a go. 

Above photo source: (cuppateaandtoast)

Lavender: Miss sporty no:6         Blue: Barry M: no:294            Peach: Rimmel: no:053

I decided not to go for a full rainbow instead I just used 3 colours. However I think it slightly looks like I was running out of nail varnish and could only paint 2 nails in each colour! So if I try this look again I would definitely use a different colour on each nail, and I'd probably go for a more subtle colour palette and just stick to pastels. But if you never try you never know, and your nails are definitely a great place to experiment. Especially if your like me and are too scared to dye your hair, nails are the next best colour experimenting canvas! Let me know what you think about this look!

LS X

P.S Thanks for all your encouraging comments so far, and a BIG welcome to my new followers!

SIMPLE TIMES

Although today is a Saturday, I have decided to spend the day focusing on my dissertation which will most probably consist of writing up notes in my room and a trip to the library to find more sources. This in mind I didn't feel too inspired when picking out my outfit this morning. I decided to keep it simple, wearing my skinny jeans, loose grey t-shirt, and baggy cardigan but too spice up the look I accessorized with my new headband, from UO. This is the joy of accessories...and owning lots of them. So no matter how simple your outfit may look 1 or 2 accessories can change the look from 'Plain Jane' too 'Chilled out Hip.' So when you don't feel like wearing such a risque outfit compensate by going a bit 'out there' with your chosen accessories. The only rule I would say is limit yourself to either 2 or 3 statement accessories for the main focus, as any more and you are likely to look like you got dressed in the dark. My 2 statement pieces are the headband, and my large turquoise ring.

Headband: Urban Outfitters   Ring: Acessorise   Watch: Urban Outfitters   Cardigan: Topshop   T-shirt: H&m

LS X

BARGAIN HUNT

Today I hit the sales and was feeling particularly flush as my student loan had just come through, as it's the 1 of 2 times in a year that my bank account isn't in the negative so I of course had to make the most of it. Now that we are nearing the second week of the new year I was expecting the remaining sales to consist of left over tat but unfortunately for my bank account their were still some gems left among the shops. Although I normally do majority of my sales shopping on boxing day or the few days following christmas. I have now seen the advantages of waiting an extra week or two.

• The stores are less busy in comparison with the sales straight after Christmas
• Tend to make more rational purchases as you get less caught up in the 'Buy now because it's cheap' state of mind.
• Reductions are usually ongoing, so new stock is often added to sales or will possibly get further reduced as time goes on.

Although there are of course negatives to leaving sales shopping later such as:

• The best items go the fastest.
• Smallest sizes often sell first.   

 Shoes: Newlook £10 

Watch: Urban Outfitters £18

 

Head Band: Urban Outfitters £5

Cards: WHSmith £3.99

Picture Frame: Urban Outfitters £5

 Skirt: Topshop £15 

LS X

GYM GYM

So today I joined the gym, which for me would normally be very shocking but since I committed to climbing 3 mountains in March I thought I should at least give myself a fighting chance and see what the gym could do for me. In the past I have been very much anti-gym memberships as I've always felt that if you want to go running, why not do it the traditional way...without a machine. However my eyes have been opened today and i've finally seen the appeal and the point...the gym to me is like an intimidating guilty conscious. Yes I could easily go out running the traditional way but the chances are i'd be back home on the sofa within 10 minutes, whereas with a gym full of sweaty people you cant help but feel shameful if you leave in under an hour. I'll let you know how long this lasts for me... Anyway this got me thinking about what I should wear to the gym...as I know it's not a fashion parade but I do feel that a well thought out sports outfit will only aid my gym sessions further.

 LS X

BAG LADY

Today was deadline day, and I literally feel almost dead as it's been a hellish few days of last minute project work. BUT now it's over and i'm FREE(well apart from my dissertation...) but I feel that I deserve at least a days break so tomorrow my friend and I are hitting the shops for a bit of RETAIL THERAPY. In preparation I have been scouting a few websites for a new bag and below are some of my faves that I came across. Typically I was looking for more of a holdall/larger bag yet my favourite one is the MINI HANDBAG from TOPSHOP. The colour is gorgeous and the price is pretty appealing to...wonder if it will fit a laptop and sketchbooks in it....Always the way, when your looking for something specific instead you find something amazing BUT that you don't need.   

Nighty Night

LS X

MUSIC TO MY EARS

Hello. I am now back at university so have spent the day un-packing and am now frantically trying to finish all my course work in time for Monday. So unfortunately I don't have time to write anything too interesting, but thought i'd leave you with this BEAUTIFUL song from James Vincent McMorrow, that is keeping my sane whilst working through the night.

 

LS X

SALES SHOP

Hi. So today I have been packing up my bags to prepare for my return to university. Whilst I have been emptying out my closets I re-found my most recent sales purchases which clearly had gotten lost in the blackhole that is my bedroom, which seems to swallow up certain clothes and never return them! Anyway I have been fairly restrained this year in terms of sales shopping but I do feel that one last trip to the remaining sales may be necessary next week! 

Mustard knitted jumper: Newlook £14   Gold chain: Accessorize: £4

And now the weekend is almost upon us. Thank goodness. Sleep tight.

LS X

GOSSIP OF GOSSIP GIRL

Good eve, it's a late post again. Think I am slowly becoming nocturnal! I was scouting online today and came across a few pictures of the GOSSIP GIRL CAST, as on 30th January the 100th episode will be aired. So the countdown begins until the plot of BLAIRS I DO or DON'T WEDDING is revealed! Below shows Blair in a beautiful WEDDING DRESS, I particularly love the colour as it appears to be an off white/cream and the layered section of the dress is also very elegant. Not too meringue but just enough UMPHH to give the dress that WOW FACTOR. 

Good night!

LS X

WINTER WARMERS

Hello. Hope everyone survived the torrential rains of today as the heavens truly opened! Anyway tonight is only a quickie as i'm currently planning an all nighter as it's dead line day in a mere 6 days!

Turning my thoughts to fashion, especially during all my breaks from course work I have found myself wondering the online world for a new WINTER COAT...as although I own at least 6 they often face a lot of wear and tear, so a good INVESTMENT COAT is always welcome! Bearing in mind as winter draws to an end this is the best time to buy coats at the cheapest price. Below is a photo of a coat from UNIQLO which doesn't look particularly special in the pictures. However my friend recently purchased this coat, and it's definitely one of those garments that looks better off the hanger than on. The colour is great, more daring than my usual black coats but plain enough that it still goes with everything. Simple straight fit with no fuss is what makes this such a great coat. And yes it's in the sale, reduced to £49.90!

http://shop.uniqlo.com/uk/goods/070048

LS X

JANUARY CLEARANCE

If your one of the many people that have been out shopping in the January Sales, it is likely that you will have purchased more than you needed purely on the impulse of a big red sign yelling '50% OFF.' This is not to say that you should avoid the sales, however I am a firm believer of 'out with the old, in with the new.' Meaning that January is the perfect time to re-valuate your wardrobe and make space for new clothes. When sorting my wardrobe I tend to work by the following rules:

• If you haven't worn an item in the past year then it's time to say goodbye.
• Staple/everyday clothes with stains or rips should be thrown out and purchased new this year.
• Clothes that have sentimental value but are not worn should be packed away for safe keeping rather than taking up wardrobe space.
• And finally muster up the courage to get rid of clothes you don't like/feel comfortable in. We all occasionally make purchases on a whim and this sometime means buying things that we would never wear!

Above shows a snipit into my favourite 'room' in the house, my wardrobe. So happy sales shopping!

LS X

NEW YEAR, NEW START

Hello all! Hope you have welcomed the new year with much fun and festivities. I decided this would be the perfect time to erase my 'unsuccessful' blogging history and start a fresh, in hope that I may continue with this blog for more than just 1 week!

So where better to start than to share my NEW YEARS outfit. Depending on your new years eve plans whether it be a house party, black tie event or your local pub, I think that this is the one time of the year when it's acceptable to look overdressed. As lets face it, when welcoming the start of a new year we all want to look our best. As no matter how many resolutions we end up breaking in the coming months, at least we can look back and remember starting off the year well. I chose to wear this dainty, virgin like(on par with fresh starts!) ASOS dress. Which I in fact ordered on Christmas day, as it went into the sale reduced to a bargain £35.00

 

Happy new year to you all! Let's hope 2012 is a good one!

LS X