New flats: print or studs?

Both studs and animal prints are a big trend for autumn/winter fashion this year so I had been thinking about getting either a pair of studded or leopard print for a while. However, in the end I couldn't chose...so I decided why not just get both?

I got the leopard suede printed flats in New York from Aldo (link - £50) and the black canvas studded slippers from Topshop (link - £28). Both are pretty good value for money and super comfortable!



I think I will get loads of wear out of them this autumn, and probably even in winter paired with some black tights. The only hard decision nowwill be most days; which look to rock...studs or print! Which ones are your faves? X

The Evelyn Lauder Dream Collection

It's that time of the year again, when Estée Lauder think PINK in honour of The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign. And this year is no exception, as they celebrate the campaign’s 20th anniversary. This year’s theme for the campaign is Courage. “Believe in a world without breast cancer. Believe we’re here until it’s true.”

The 2012 collection is in memory of the late Evelyn Lauder, to honour Evelyn’s dream of putting an end to breast cancer and raising money and awareness for the Estée Lauder Companies Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign. Also this year’s new Pink Ribbon design features a touch of blue to represent the approximately 1% of all breast cancer cases that are diagnosed in men.

Here is a rundown of the products that are part of the collection this year. First up the Evelyn Lauder and Elizabeth Hurley Dream Lip Collection.

This lip-loving duo includes a full-size Pure Color Lipstick in Candy, a shade chosen by Evelyn Lauder and a Pure Color Gloss in Pink Innocence, chosen by Elizabeth Hurley, all featured in a chic pink snakeskin-printed clutch.

Candy is a pigmented and slightly shimmery pink lipstick. As all Estée Lauder lipsticks the formula is smooth, long lasting, creamy and has a nice lovely smell. The Pink Innocence gloss is a light, more frosted pink gloss that glides on easily. I love the design of the container!

The rest of the Evelyn Lauder Dream Collection includes:

♥ Evelyn Lauder Dream Compact - The compact is filled with Lucidity Translucent Pressed Powder. Estée Lauder will donate £55.00 (the full RRP) from every sale in the UK of the Evelyn Lauder Dream Compact to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®

♥ The Evelyn Lauder Dream Pin design sparkles with contrasting soft pink and hot pink enamels, accented with 2 stones – one BCA pink stone and a blue stone to represent the approximately 1% of all breast cancer cases in the United States that are diagnosed in men. Estée Lauder will donate £10.00 (the full RRP) from every sale in the UK of the Evelyn Lauder Dream Pin to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®.

♥ Perfectionist CP+R Wrinkle-Lifting Serum with Pink Ribbon Keychain.
"This powerful anti-wrinkle serum is proven to significantly reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles with exceptional speed." I've read a lot of good things about this product so this might be a good time to try it out, because it's supporting a good cause at the same time! Estée Lauder will donate £10.00 (RRP £68.00) from every sale in the UK of Perfectionist CP+R with Pink Ribbon Keychain to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®.

Is there anything that has caught your eye from this collection? I think it is fantastic how Estée Lauder continues to raise awareness and funds for this very important cause. If you want to make a contribution you can also choose to make a small donation here to their Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Every little bit will help to put an end to this terrible disease.

The Evelyn Lauder Dream Colection is available from Estée Lauder counters nationwide and at www.esteelauder.co.uk from October 2012.

Best & Worst: 2012 Primetime Emmy Awards

On Sunday the 64th Emmy Awards ceremony was held in Los Angeles, awarding prizes to the outstanding comedy, drama, miniseries and reality programmes of 2012.

As always it was a great opportunity for the celebrities to shine on the red carpet, some more than others! Blue (in various shades) proved to be a popular colour on the red carpet and also yellow seemed to be a hit with the stars which is a quite a surprising bright colour for such an autumn event. Here are my best and worst picks of the night..

BEST

I loved Cat's scarlet gown and the shape and style fitted her perfectly. Julianne went for the mermaid look and I think she made it look very glamorous. Julie's neon yellow strapless gown seems to be a hit for some or a complete miss with others. I liked it, on photos it doesn't always do it justice I think because when I saw a live shot of her on the red carpet I just felt the fit and colour was beautiful and she looked so radiant, like a ray of sunshine! Emily got a lot of negative comments on this look; yes it is safe, yes it is a little boring because she is young and has a killer body but I personally liked the muted grey gown and think she's beautiful no matter what and she looks very elegant.

Heidi shows off some extreme 'Jolie leg' in this beautiful seafoam green couture gown, but with gams like that she can pull it off. January Jones is always something of a risk-taker when it comes to the red carpet but this gothic-glam gown by Zac Posen suits her beautifully and it shows that sometimes risks can pay off. Claire Danes flaunted her growing baby belly in a bright and bold dress by Lanvin. I think it's an interesting and chic take on a maternity dress and she looks stunning.

 

Homeland was actually the big winner on the night, taking home statues for lead actress (Claire Danes), lead actor (Damien Lewis) and outstanding writing in the drama category, as well as the outstanding drama award. I am completely addicted to this show so think the awards are well deserved!

 

WORST

Hayden looks a bit like she's going to a fancy toga party in this Grecian-inspired dress by Marchesa. I think remove the blue tule and it would have looked a lot better. Juliane; don't get me wrong I am loving the bright colour and it definitely takes a brave woman to wear that much yellow but unfortunately I don't think she shape of the dress is very flattering and it's all little too much with the long sleeves and long skirt. Ashley Judd, not much more to say than serious fashion crime. Ugly dress and the hair...sorry but what was her hairstylist on? Sadly Lena's black and lace Prada number looks boxy and does nothing to flatter her figure.

Lena Headey tries gothic-glam and fails. Kristen Wiig looks uninspiring to me; the hair too messy, the dress too casual and the whole look is just a bit blah! Alexandra of 'American Horror Story' striked some fierce poses on the red carpet but flashed a bit too much leg when her undies were on show! Even so, think the dress is unflattering and 'cheap' looking and not loving the hairstyle with this dress. Lucy Liu looks like a metal disco ball; a case of sequins gone wrong!

I really liked seeing so many bright colour on the red carpet at this event! What were your best and worst picks from the 2012 Primetime Emmy Awards?

Happy Hump Day Everyone! xoxo

How to wear: A/W Trend - English Heritage

One trend that featured a heavily on the 2012 Autumn/Winter catwalks was English Heritage. Many designers like Burberry, Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors included tweed, dog tooth and tartan as part of their fall collections for this year. The English Heritage trend is all about country living meets city dressing...

I'm definitely loving this A/W trend and luckily we don't have to spend big bucks at the designer stores to get this English Heritage look. The high street stores are filled at the moment with great items that you can mix and match to incorporate country cool into your wardrobe. Here are some looks from the high street that I am loving and I thought I'd show you how I would make this big autumn trend wearable:

How lovely are both these trench coats & I adore the pearl collar peplum blouse!

(You can click on the image above to to view all the individual item links)

(You can click on the image above for the individual items links)

I've always loved the tartan/plaid look so this trend is right up my alley plus I think a classic tweed jacket is a classic wardrobe staple must-have!

(You can click on the image to to view all the individual items links)

One item that has been on my lust list for a while now that fits right into the town & field trend this autumn is a wax Barbour jacket. However after all my recent holidays, I really can't afford to splurge on a Barbour coat. So I couldn't believe my luck when I spotted this awesome wax jacket at Dorothy Perkins last week. And at only £59 it wasn't going to break my bank; ka-ching!! Today was a typical English rainy day so this was the perfect day to show off my new purchase :)

Navy waxed hooded jacket - Dorothy Perkins (link)

Red cable knit jumper by Abercrombie & Fitch (as seen here)

Denim jeggings from ZARA (link)

Hunter Regent Savoy Wellies (link)

A pair of Hunter boots are a must-have for those rainy London days; no need to avoid the puddles ;)

The jacket did well in the rain today and kept me warm and dry. Plus I love the checked detailing in the hood and the patch stitching on the arms! What do you think of my new wax jacket and the English Heritage trend? Have you seen anything that you'd like to add to your wardrobe to look countryside cool this autumn?

 

This 'How to Wear' post is part of a bigger research project I took part in with Most Wanted to find out to how to take the A/W 12 top trends from the catwalk to your wardrobe, via the high street stores to create the hottest looks. You can read the all the articles here including other big season trends like mixed patterns & prints, berries, unexpected leather and military!

Essie manicure: Demure Vixen & new Essie purchases

During London Fashion Week I popped by the HandPickedMedia LFW Lounge at One Aldwych to catch up with their lovely team, check out some cool brands and products on display and get a little pampered! Well they were offering Essie manicures... so how could I say no to that? I'm a big fan of Essie polishes because they are great quality and they offer a fun and large range of colours!

The hardest thing really was what colour to choose.....

After a lot of ummming and ahhhhing and with the help of the beautician, I decided on this pretty lady!

Demure Vixen is a iridescent cocoa mauve shade.

I really like this nail polish because it is modern whilstchic and goes with pretty much everything. I like its complexity because insome light it is more of a subtle taupe/nude shade but in bright light thelittle purple sparkles shine through to make it more of a vibrant lavender shade.Great long lasting formula and all you need is 2 coats to get an opaque evenfinish. You can see more (and better) swatches of Demure Vixen here.

 

As much as I love Essie nail polishes I do find that they are a wee bit pricey in the UK. So when I was in the States I took advantage of the fact they were only $8 (about £5!) there, to stock up and get a few new additions to my nail polish collection.

L-R: Luxeffects; Shine of the Times, Mamba and Mademoiselle

I can't wait to try these lovely new shades. What are your favourite Essie nail polishes?

 

New York, New York!

In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of,

There's nothing you can't do, now you're in New York!

These street will make you feel brand new, Big lights will inspire you....

Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York......

I had the most amazing week in New York City in September with my friend and London flattie!!

Here a some pictures from our NYC adventure... 

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge

A Grays Payaya hot dog; a New York institution!

Drinks and dinner at underground SoHo hotspot Mexican bar La Esquina

Browsing around the beautiful deli that is Dean & Deluca

Walking the NY Highline on the West Side

Indulging in hangover burgers at Bubby's!

Reflection and remembrance at the 9/11 World Trade Centre Memorial
NYC Skyline at sun rise after a late night out in the city that never sleeps...
Tennis at the US Open Quarter finals
To-die-for eggs at The Dutch. Egg's benedict with a difference because served on a cheese biscuit and covered with a spicy hollandaise sauce. My flatmate branded these as one of the best egg she's ever had for brunch and coming from her, that is a BIG call, trust me ;)

Visiting Brooklyn

Strolling around Central Park

Death by dessert at The Gramarcy Tavern...but what a way to go! ;)

The Dutchess at The Dutch - great place for Brunch in Soho!

Out in Midtown - Empire State of Mind! 

Brunch at La Bottega

DUMBO Park in Brooklyn

Delicious dinner and drinks at Aria in the West Village - prosecco shots anyone?

More highline walking..

Me and the 'wife' out in town! 

Photobooth fun at the Ace Hotel Bar!

 

As you can see our week in New York was filled with shopping, exploring, partying and lots and lots of eating. But more on that later because I will do a 'food diary' post to show you all the delicious food we ate and fabulous places we visited. After such an amazing week we really did not want to leave this incredible city but we both knew that it was probably the best for our credit cards and waistlines to return to our London home! My flatmate was the perfect NYC partner in crime and I am truly so lucky to have found such a great flattie and friend. Therefore, returning home wasn't so bad after all because.....

Thanks MiMi for a brilliant holiday - Love you lots.

Happy Hump Day everyone :) 

Tory Burch splurge purchase!

For a long long time now I have lusted after a pair of designer Tory Burch flats. I tried to be good and not give in but it didn't help that I kept seeing them pop up on my regular blog reads like here and here. So when I was in New York City I decided to treat myself and finally satisfy my cravings. In London a pair costs £170 and in the USA they were $195 which converts to about £120 so that's quite a saving...well that's how I justified this splurge purchase to myself ;)

 

Anyhoo here they are....aren't they just beautiful?!

I chose the Classic Reva Ballet flats in black. These iconic shoes are known for its timeless design and comfortable fit. I love the big gold logo which gives them a very chic feel that effortlessly compliments any outfit.

I got mine from Bloomingdales (link) but have since found out for you UK ladies that you can actually score yourself these lovely flats for about £125 from ShopBop online with free world wide delivery here!

 

This is me wearing my new flats out and about the other day....

The dress in this photo is one of my favourite wardrobe items at the moment. It's the Louche Rocia Digital Print Floral dress that I got from JOY a few months ago. I walked past the shop on my lunch break, spotted it on the mannequin and it was love at first sight! For only £55 (link) it had to be mine and I think it's is the perfect dress for a wedding, a garden party or even just for work to let the fun floral print brighten up my day!

 

I am definitely loving my new Tory Burch flats; classy and comfortable; now what more can a girl want....?

......maybe one in every colour? ;) xoxo

 

Diane Kruger front row at Calvin Klein NYFW

I love Fashion Weeks; not only to spot the trends on the actual catwalk but also to see what the front row celebs and ‘it’ people in the world of fashion are wearing. For example I loved Diane Kruger edgy front row look at the Calvin Klein's New York Fashion Week show last week.

The stunning actress showed off her toned stomach in a form-fitting white long-sleeved top, teamed with a high-waisted black leather miniskirt by the designer.

Diane Kruger is known to be a big fan of Calvin Klein. The actress said “The Calvin Klein woman is something I really identify with because I feel she is very understated. There is a sexiness to her, but it is not obvious, and that’s something that I prefer for myself.” Francisco Costa, for Calvin Klein, creates one-off red-carpet dresses for Kruger, who added, “I don’t like to show off too much cleavage; I want it to be mysterious. I am not one of those girls who is like, ‘It’s all there!’ ”



Diane was joined on the front row by fellow Hollywood stars Emma Stone and Amy Adams. Emma looked colourful in a coral shift dress which she teamed with bright yellow heels. Adore her wavy haired look here! And Amy also looked chic and sophisticated in a below-the-knee white dress which featured a high neckline and ruching around the waist area.

Diane is definitely one of my style icons! 

What do you think of Diane's black and white front row fashion forward look?

MUA Bronzed Perfection - Holiday FOTD #

Back in August MUA released a new bronzer to their cosmetics collection. Say hello this this monster of a bronzer.....yep this baby is ginormous!! The MUA bronzer is designed to give you an all over healthy-kissed glow by sweeping the product over your face and body. I decided to take this bronzer on holiday with me to put it to the test; could this really provide me with 'bronzed perfection'?

In the tin you the bronzer shows a small amount of shimmer but not to worry this barely transfers to the skin, leaving you with a soft and matte finish. The pigmentation is great but do be aware that the bronzer tends to get quite powdery so don't go crazy with your brush, you only need to sweep across the bronzer lightly to eliminate too much fall out and to pick up the right amount of product.

The shade of the bronzer is a light to medium so I think this would suit fair skin tones for a lightly bronzed look or it can be build up to enhance a deeper tan. Apply the bronzer to the areas of your face where the sun would naturally hit; building the colour gradually to get the exact shade you want. The bronzer can be used all over the face, neckline, arms or shoulders as a bronzer or contour.

I have to say I loved using this on holiday. A quick sweep of the bronzer all over my cheeks, forehead and nose would give me a lovely soft healthy glow. Here a recent holiday FOTD with the MUA Bronzed Perfection Bronzer...

This bronzer contains a whopping 15g of product and guess what, it only costs £3! Now that's what I call a MEGA bargain :) The bronzer is available now from your local Superdrug or at the MUA Online store.

Do you think you will try this bronzer for that warm, healthy complexion all-year-round?

Can money buy happiness?

Haha I love this quote ;) It's a bit silly but also true, well in my case anyway. I will confess that shopping in New York made me a very happy girl! There are just so many amazing shops; varying from high street brands, designer shops, department stores to boutiques and even great little street stand shops where they sell the most funky jewellery.

For example check out these awesome two wrap around bracelets I got from a NYC street stand....

On the left a pinky nude leather long strap with a gold chain stitched on that wraps three times around the wrist. You can simply wrap it and click together or knot/twist them like I have done here. On the right is a grey leather strap with little gold studs that you tie (like a shoelace) before connecting together. The lady sold these in so many amazing colours, from bright neons to purple and blues. However in the end I settled on a grey one for me and I got a friend a bright blue one as a birthday gift. The bracelet in the middle is my Cinderela B Neon Luxe bracelet, as seen here (link).

So maybe sometimes money can buy you happiness? ;) Happy hump day everyone! Xoxo

 

Pampering at the W with Bliss Spa products

While I was in California for my best friends wedding in Carlsbad, I stayed at the W Hotel San Diego. The W's are known for being luxury boutique hotels, generally marketed towards a younger crowd. They have a common theme of minimalist modern decor and hip, informal names for categories of rooms and public areas. For example the lobbies of all their hotels are known as the "Living Room." W Hotels attempt to include the letter W wherever possible - the swimming pool is known as "Wet", the concierge is known as "Whatever Whenever", the laundry bag is known as "Wash" and so on.

 

However what I loved the most about my stay at the W was their bathroom products! They stock your bathroom daily with lovely mini products from the brand 'Bliss'

 

I'd personally never tried any Bliss Spa products before but apparently Bliss has 22 spas located around the globe. "From Hollywood to Hong Kong, Boston to Barcelona and Dallas to Doha, they aim to bring the latest and most effective spa treatments and products, challenging convention along the way and infusing everything with our signature Bliss touch - all to make you look and feel absolutely 'spa'-tacular."

 

So let's have a look at the lovely goodies they treated me with at the W!

Love the modern, fresh packaging of these products!

 

For in the shower there was:

Lemon + Sage Conditioning Rinse (link)

Lemon + Sage Supershine Shampoo (link)

Lemon + Sage Soapy Suds Body Wash (link)

 

And for some further pampering there was:

Fabulous Foaming Face Wash (link)

Lemon + Sage Body Butter (link)
Bliss Body Bar (link)

 

My absolutely favourite was definitely the Fabulous Foaming Face Wash. This 2-in-1 cleanser and exfoliator with rose hips, chamomile and passion flower is one of their best selling products.

You get some light foaming action after rubbing the product between your hands and the small, soft, round exfoliator beads gently cleanse your skin without leaving your face feeling soapy or dried out. The smell is probably the best part; it’s so refreshing and sweet at the same time I couldn’t get enough of it! I would recommend this face wash to anyone that is looking for a simple, soothing, exfoliating cleanser. I am definitely hooked and am going to purchase this for my bathroom at home after using it for a few days at the W Hotel. They sell it in a travel in a travel size (60ml at £6.50), regular size (197ml at £18.40) or even a super-sized version (460ml at £25.60). Think I might go super-sized because it gives you 30% savings and comes with a handy pump!

 

Have you tried any Bliss products before? xoxo

Drinks at Schiller's in NYC

Hey everyone. I'm having the best time in New York....am seriously in love with this city. It is definitely true that this place never sleeps but I am feeling the effects of this after, so far already, three nights out in a row!! I'm going to be a very broken woman by the time I get back to London. Thought I'd quickly post a recent NYC outfit of the night from when we went out for a few drinks at Schilller's in the Lower East side.

Schiller's Liquor Bar is a uber-hip French American bistro by Keith McNally who is also the guy behind Balthazar in Soho, Pastis in the Meatpacking District, and Minetta Tavern in Greenwich Village. The vibe in this place is playful and funky; for example, their wine list has three categories: cheap, decent and good ;) However we opted for some yummy cocktails instead. This is a really fun place for dinner or late-night drinks!

Distressed cropped jeans by ZARA

Gladiator heels by Aldo

New silk green top by Addison Heart (from in little boutique in NYC - Yamak)

New gold & black leather necklace from Yamak

Took these pics in their downstairs, pretty cool, unisex bathrooms....told you this place was fun ;) What do you think of my two new NYC purchases from Yamak? xoxo