FLYING SAUCER

A Quest For Lazer

Hey guys! Hmm I'm not sure where to start with catching up with you, I've had a few weeks of busy, busy weekends and busy, busy weekdays. By busy, I mean travelling lots to see family and friends and then keeping all of you fashion shoppers stocked with the latest Motel offerings. In my eyes there's always something productive to do so you won't often find me without a to-do list, and in the past few weeks I've continued to eBay like crazy too. I've made a tidy sum to save for a rainy day so the lengthy uploading process and lunch time trips to the post office do pay off.

I'm hoping I'll have more exciting outfits to share when the weather heats up, but right now we are stalling through a chilly spring and I have stayed true to my spring-means-trousers habit. I think I tend to always go for trousers during this time of year because I don't like to wear black tights when the days are light and breezy, and it's definitely not time to get your legs out yet. Enter my new Topshop joggers, which I actually got on eBay for £6. I was hunting some 'smart' joggers for a few weeks and Topshop only had pairs with graffiti prints, but some searching on good old eBay lead me to these. 

I had so many outfits in mind when pairing these with my ASOS ankle strap nude shoes. I've worn them SO much, literally every day to work, as they add a totally chic twist to every outfit. Kitten heels may be small but they make as much of an impact as towering heels do. They also feel very grown up and ladylike! 

I'm also still chuffed with the Zara lazer leather sweater I managed to find in the Birmingham store. I don't really shop a lot nowadays as I had a much larger disposable income when I was a student, but I am a lucky shopper and always seem to find popular, sell-out items. There are so many things to love about this sweater, from the faux leather applique front to the quilted sleeves to the sheer back panel. It's also the easiest thing to quickly throw on but will look eternally chic, so it's perfect for a grab-and-go outfit that still looks smart. I've streamlined my wardrobe so I can find an outfit in five minutes that will have as much effect as one that was carefully pulled together in twenty minutes by investing in easy pieces like this and not buying filler things like plain leggings or cardigans.

I hope that gives a snapshot of where my wardrobe is in terms of fashion lately; this blog has seen me go through so many different styles and inspirations over the years! You can also see my Tumblr for what I am feeling at the moment but I'm excited to bring more real-time outfits to this blog soon... and maybe with some sunshine too!

Nails Of The Week 27: Hyper Bright Pom Pom

Nails of the week, nailssss of the weeeek! Nailsoftheweek! Working on that theme tune guys! The only way to photograph this nail colour was in the blinding Saturday sunlight as W.I.P 's Pom Pom is neon. It is a very 80's pink with a coral tone and I love it on pointed nails. No matter how long they are, pointed nails never feel long. How long can I go?! I got this polish at Urban Outfitters and it was one of those colours that was just the perfect shade. Sometimes you go to the salon with 100 colours and not one single shade is just quite right so it is best to invest in your cult favourites and take one along.

I had to include this beautiful butterfly I spotted when taking this photo too - spring is here! Bring it on! I visited home this weekend and hung out with my sister too, and I took my nan to bingo where I won £10! Maybe I should invest that in a new makeup treat; watch this space.

Bring Me Sunshine

The photo of these shorts has been circulating on Tumblr for a few days and they have been tracked down to a new American Apparel pair. Hello beauties! I don't have a particularly short body and I have a definite booty so high waisted things never sit very high on me, but American Apparel has the highest of high waisted bottoms out there. My Riding Pants definitely hit above my belly button! So I'm hoping these Bull Shorts will have a great fit and I love the chunky cuff too. 

For some reason I've gone off skirts for the moment as dare I say it, I'm swaying from my girly looks to something hopefully a little more chic and grown up! Still of course with some nail gems and sugary phone cases thrown in, but a little more streamlined maybe. We'll see! I'm not wearing my skater skirts mostly because I'm not a fan of tights in spring and at the moment it's too chilly to go bare legged. At the moment I'm living in high waisted jeggings and I would only wear these shorts with bare legs too, but next week a heat wave is coming right?! We'll also see! Motel shorts are pretty high waisted too but I think American Apparel go the each inch, and it's one of those shops where everything fits me. I don't have as much luck with Arcadia!

I was told there is a 20% off night in the Bristol AA store on Friday when I was in there this Saturday comparing Topshop's Joni Jeans with their Easy Jean, but I was planning on travelling home straight from work. I will wait to see if AA will release an online code for the bank holiday and maybe snap them up then after payday! I know they will be fab quality and these are the only things on my fashion wishlist at the moment!

Millie's Style Diary...

It would be fitting that Made in Chelsea is on in the background as I write this post but I'm not actually too much of a die hard fan. I prefer my reality TV a little more tacky but MIC is definite fashion candy and I recently discovered Millie Mackintosh's style blog. I knew Millie has a beauty blog and I'm not must of a luxury beauty buff, but didn't know she posts an outfit shot almost every day and she wears high street! These cute, mini photoshoots showcase lots of River Island, Accessorize and Office, and I think Millie has quite a unique style. With brash slogans, boyish fits and neon prints all over the place right now, Millie's style is chic yet a little hippy, with luxe accessories thrown into the mixed. If these are shot in England, I'm not quite sure it's bare leg weather yet,  but I am definitely inspired to mix fur with denim, add some colourful jewellery, and get my (fake) tanned legs out with heels.

Also super lusting over Millie's holiday style diary - oh how I wish I was going away this year! Don't miss Proudlock's style blog too if you are that way inclined... I'm more of a Spencer fan!

Motel AW13 Press Day!

Hey yall! It's been a long week for me and I am looking forward to a calm weekend which starts NOW! I've been in bed with a cup of tea and my laptop since I woke up (with no alarm, just naturally!) and I'm catching up with lots of Youtube videos and writing this wee blog post for you. On Wednesday I was in London for the Motel AW13 Press Day and we decided to not just invite bloggers but have a special evening preview where we brought in a henna artist and Colour Xtreme for crazy hair dyes!

The press day showcases our future collection to stylists and editors as often they need to create all of the outfits for their autumn projects this early in advance. This is also how soon our designers will create collections and usually they will produce just one real life version of each item they have designed, which are the 'samples' above. Then our merchandisers and buyers decide which will sell the best and order different amounts of each style, and our factories get to work printing and sewing them, maybe with a few tweaks like a new button or bigger zip. Then our photography team will find a bunch of beach babes in Bali for our lookbook and at my office we decide how best to show you all the new trends and prints we have coming up. By now the editors and stylists who saw the items on our press day will be publishing their magazines featuring the items, just in time for them to be delivered to our warehouse so you can buy them from MotelRocks.com! That's when I come in and share our new things on social media and to bloggers across the world. Phew!

So that is why we have a press day, but also it's a lot of FUN! This season we definitely celebrated the brand as Motel was born in the '90s and our latest collections are heavily influenced by the cult decade. Enter our total time warp with a '90s bedroom set-up complete with a rainbow bed, blow up chair, lava lamp and television set with Spice World: The Movie on repeat! I went slightly retro with the floral Catalina Dress in the new Flower Buzz Print and a silver gem on my face, and dialed a few boys on Dream Phone, which my sister and I loved to play way-back-when! It's like Guess Who but you need to find out which boy fancies you by ringing some up and using the clues they tell you. Each boy comes with a photo and their hairstyles are hilarious!

There were also Rainbow Drops, pic-n-mix and flying saucers (holla!), and I was a bit young back then to appreciate Hooch but I did end the day with a slush puppy! 

As for the clothes, I have to be very careful with Motel as if I like anything, I usually buy it. If I went shopping on the high-street and bought everything I simply liked, I'd be bankrupt! So I need to have the same attitude to Motel and not buy all the things that catch my eye, just going for the favourites only. Things I'm liking are a flash of ethnic prints like the paisley and mandala patterns, in rich colours for autumn time like plum and turquoise.

I wasn't sure I would have time for henna but the lady was super speedy and I got a full hand on the left, with Motel girl Megan's pretty hand on the right. I love it! It could be something you could try yourself as the pattern doesn't have to be perfect, although if you mess up then your hand will be stained so you have to be accurate. The henna artist told me to put Vic's over it at night as it heats up and makes the colour darker so I may do that to prolong the tattoo!

Wishing, Wanting, Wearing

Hi guys! It is Sunday but I have no dreaded Sunday night feeling as I have had a wonderful weekend! After my pampering session on Friday, my friend Ellie came to visit and we had such a lovely day eating a delicious lunch and going to see Spring Breakers with my housemate Georgie. We can safely say it was one of the worst films we have all ever seen but in a hilarious way, and we left feeling really spaced out! We had a drink to enjoy the long day of sunshine and then got ready slowly for a night out with my other housemate Jasmine.

I've been counting down to the weekend also because a few weeks ago I was emailed by Wish Want Wear, the UK's leading website to hire designer dresses. And not just any designers, we are talking Hervé Léger, Matthew Williamson, Bora Aksu and the designer I chose, Jovani. You know I love dressing up for a night out and getting ready is one of my favourite times, especially with friends! Wish Want Wear intrigued me because you can hire designer dresses and simply post your choice back in the prepaid envelope without cleaning it, meaning it's a fuss-free way to get your mitts on dresses I know I will never be able to afford! I had a browse and many dresses are quite formal, but then I spotted THE dress, the Jovani 7757. I recognised this Jovani number from Tumblr posts as it's quite a famous dress, worn by Katy Perry and Paris Hilton! To know I could actually have the dress in my posession was incredible enough without even thinking I could wear it myself!

I took the wonderful Hania of WWW up on the offer of a trial and secured the dress for this weekend. It arrived beautifully packaged to my desk on Thursday and all the girls at the office were shocked, it is SO sparkly! It's just amazing! There are a few layers of a nude coloured mesh so it does have a colour and isn't actually see-through, and it is encrusted in heavy, iridescent jewels and gems. You have the best feeling ever wearing it and it sure turns heads! I was worried it may be delicate but it is so well made and can withstand lots of dancing. It also has built in bra cups too so no need to wear one, and the jewels do cover you substantially so no nudity hehe. Now I just need to send it off in the envelope they sent and that's it, no cleaning or fuss!

I also made a little video and will definitely try to make some outfits of the day now it is lighter in the mornings! Would you rent a dress for a night?

Me Time!

I am in a zone of calm and zen like no other! I have not truly, extravagantly pampered myself in months, maybe even years; no activity has been purely about relaxing and just feeling great. I've done the whole hair wash/buff/tan routine a million times but tonight I took my time and felt like that lady of leisure I wish I was!

I know a lot of bloggers use a pic-n-mix of products but I have a few fail-safe favourites and don't buy more than those. I can't really afford to try products in case I don't like them, but I needed a new conditioner and splashed out on the Lee Stafford conditioner with argan oil. I have a hair mask below already and I prefer serum to oil, so the oil already in with the conditioner seemed a bonus and Lee Stafford was at the Motel Christmas party so I am fond of the brand! His fiancee is the incredibly hot lady from The Real Hustle and I found myself talking to her and wondering how I knew her... I love a celeb spot! 

I went to Boots at lunch today with Lora, my fellow beauty junkie at Motel HQ, and fabulous intern Holly who is always a ray of sunshine in the office. The 3-for-2 deals called us all and the recent VO5 adverts make me seriously want the promised smooth hair, so I got this conditioner in with the deal. Got2b have repackaged their hairspray too and this has been my favourite for years! It smells like raspberries!

The Botanics Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm is a repurchase after I used every scrap of the first pot I bought. I was about to buy The Sanctuary HC Cleanser again but I saw Lily review this and it sounded even better. It feels very heavy and thick and I wondered if a parade of spots was on the horizon, but my skin is just as blemish-free as with The Sanctuary cleanser and this gives your skin a serious moisture boost. I don't scrub my face dry with the cloth, I leave a little of the balm on and let it sink in for plump, healthy skin. Your foundation goes on a dream! My skin was calling for this during the colder months so I'm not sure how it will fare if we ever get any sun! Hopefully hydrating my skin with this will mean less oil, not more when the weather gets hotter.

Once a week, if I know I am going to wash my hair that night, I will slather on a generous amount of the Charles Worthington Intense Rescue Melting Balm from root to tip as soon as I get home (I don't get oily hair so the roots are fine). By the time I come to wash my hair, it has soaked in and you barely need conditioner. It works! My hair is definitely much softer and more hydrated, and I haven't had a trim since October and my hair still looks fine!

If I'm feeling fancy but want ultimate calm, I love this Seascape body butter that absolutely radiates the most natural lavender smell, like your are rubbing yourself with the real thing. It is rich but spreads evenly and lightly and I like just how white it is, adding to the fresh, clean vibes. If I am tanning, I'll just use this on my ankles, elbows, knees and wrists. Lush!

As I am doing some serious eBaying at the moment, I impulsed one night on the cult Crest White Strips and can confirm they really do work! They are just little stickers covered in a thin layer of gel and you put them over your top and bottom teeth, then whip them off 30 minutes later! Your teeth instantly look smooth and bright, and a few uses make a noticeable difference.

A bath is the ultimate luxury for me as I never have any time and I find the water has to be just the right temperature so you don't feel freezing when you get out! Sometimes I get too hot in baths and it's not fun anymore, just humid! I had The Enchanter bath bomb from Lush sitting pretty for a while on my shelf and today was the day to bust it out in all its citrus glory. The pink centre is the nicest surprise!

All of this pampering was not in vain as one of my bezzies is coming to visit tomorrow and I wanted to kick off the weekend with a girly night of treats. Now I feel a hundred bucks!

Nails Of The Week 27: White

Nails of the weeeeeeEEEEk! If there was ever a nail theme tune, these blog posts need it. I've got the nail bug again and there is something that just feels right about dressing up your hands as you use them so much of course. On your phone, tapping at a keyboard or munching on lunch, it always brightens your mood a little when you catch sight of lovely nails. I'm a fan of over-the-top glitz and everything cute so I do jazz mine up a little, and now loads of salons offer bigger gems and bows.

 

I have got a shoe box full of bows, studs and miniature decals (and considering how small they individually are, that's a lot!) and would probably start taking my own into the nail salon as they charge £1/2 per bow when 100 would only be around £3 on eBay! The guy who did my nails stuck these bows on with acrylic solution so I might try that next time I DIY it as it is much stronger than the false nail glue I usually use.

 

I got these nails done at home in Birmingham and they were super cheap but not the best finish. I've decided white nails are best on square tips and I'm not sure quite which colour I want next. Maybe neon! The cat liked then though.

Shop Lust: Style Nanda

I'm not sure how I found Style Nanda but I think it was on Tumblr and I think it is my new obsession! It's based in Korea I believe and is really popular in Asia, with a recent worldwide expansion online. Far from trend ripoffs, the Nanda Made label is all exclusive and the product photos are amazing! That is probably why I have a huge wishlist and I'm very intrigued to find out just what the items are like in real life. So many websites style up items to the maxi nowadays but they may end up being dull stretch polyester in real life!

It may be that sugar pink wall but I love the warm blue of this denim shirt and oversized fit. As I sit at a desk all day, comfort is a big factor in my clothes!

These pinafores are a really cute way to wear camo and not in the expected colours. I like the huge shirts underneath and bare legs with chunky platformed heels, mixing up lots of different shapes.

A lace maxi dress is one of those wardrobe staples that I've never had, although I have about five different black maxi dresses. The added polka dots on this dress give it another unique element.

I just got some dungarees like these in a staff sample sale at Motel and I will certainly be considering wearing them with my Litas, a really oversized shirt and a hair bun, once I perfect the ultimate chic-yet-messy bun. I definitely haven't yet!

The item that I am really considering is this wavy hem skirt, as I really want a pencil skirt with a rounded hem, longer at the back and curved at the front. I wish there was a way to know what it was like in real life though as the fit is too important, and I'm not sure if any orders would mean customs charges too. I'll sit tight to see if a similar skirt comes out on the high street here but the only one I've seen is this ASOS skirt, and I'm not much of a fan of the fabric! Please keep your eyes peeled for me!

Nails Of The Week 26: An Old Favourite and a New Ring

Welcome back to my little corner of the internet! I do not have much to share in the fashion stakes as I am going through a process of spring cleaning my wardrobe and selling anything and everything. I see my wardrobe almost like a bank account and as I don't buy a large amount of cheap, fast fashion, usually I can sell most things on. I only like to wear a dress for a night out a few times too so I sell those on eBay often!

I'm waiting until I've sold anything I know I won't be wearing anytime soon and then I'm going to assess anything new I really need. I've also been thinking about the items I grab quickly to wear on a daily basis and how they can be dressed up even more easily. Say if it is so easy to grab leggings, I can swap those for Riding Pants or high waisted jeans and wear ankle strap kitten heels instead of flats. Both only take the same amount of time to throw on but then you are stepping it up in the style stakes!

As you start selling things, you become quite tentative about putting things back into your wardrobe. If I buy something new now I wonder how much I can sell if for a few months down the line! Topshop items often sell well for example because they are so memorable. This is where accessories enter the menu! A new piece of jewellery can kick a shopping craving and can be mixed and matched with everything, so is a worthwhile buy. H&M does such chic jewellery on a budget and you don't have to dodge past any skulls or crosses usually. I was the ultimate magpie with this ring and for someone who wears so little jewellery like me, it makes enough impact alone. I love anything iridescent!

Also my favourite nail polish of all time made a comeback, W7's Fluroescent Pink 2. The fluro coral is ridiculously hard to photograph but it gets lots of compliments. I'm on a kick for brights as I've had nude nails a couple of times already. Oh the perils and indecisions of choosing nail colours!

Pin Up

We did a photoshoot today at work so I got photo babe Lora to snap these photos! In however many years I've been buying my own clothes, I'm not sure if I have ever owned a proper pinafore! Not one with buttons or straps or a classic square neckline. This Miss Selfridge one is the cutest thing I've ever laid eyes on! It's also a soft knitted material so wearing it is total comfort, especially for me at a desk most of the day. I think it looks best with an off shoulder top, but I might try a polo top too. The socks were for the photoshoot, but when the sun comes I will be busting these babies out!

I've got a couple of days off work next week and this Saturday I'm seeing Girls Aloud with Fritha and Kristabel! I am SO exciteddd, I've been listening to their old school tunes non-stop and know it will be a super girly atmosphere. Also it's a chance to hit London and of course super lashes too!

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Makeup The Rules

I had a superb Superdrug haul today as my sister works there and staff 'friends and family' get 50% off Superdrug's own products this week! This includes Sleek, MUA, Gosh and a host of others so I stocked up on just about everything I could possibly ever need and these things were among the beauty products. I love that golden discount card!

I only wanted to buy things I knew I would at least make a dent in, as lots of my own makeup hardly ever gets used up. I have a strange moment of buying things with great plans, but then not wanting them to run out! I don't want to wear a full face of makeup every day because most days I come to work and then leave again without any meetings. I almost don't want to feel disappointed that the day was uneventful and I've wasted the makeup! It's a funny cycle but I love buying makeup and planning how I will wear it. 

I'm going to consciously try to use up a lipstick or blusher, with the aim of having an empty pot and tube as soon as possible! Almost like the total opposite now; a race backwards. What's the worst that can happen? The truth is the rate of buying makeup is exceeding the rate I use it up so I can just balance it out haha.

London Fashion Week AW13

It has been a week since fashion week and it was probably my most favourite yet! I went down with the fab Motel girls as always and the sun was most definitely shining, making for a really cheerful atmosphere! I love spotting the celebs and saw so many reality stars; my favourite moment being metres away from Mollie King of The Saturdays at a show! I love The Sats so I felt like a super fangirl!

I wasn't too sure what to wear so I fitted in with what the other Motel girls wore by not choosing the same, and settled on my new Serena skirt. It doesn't seem to photograph so well unless you smooth it out, but it's a really cute little bodycon skirt with an almighty, ruffled peplum! This sparked a new peplum obsession so watch this space. I wore it with a new cropped sweater that isn't out yet but there are a few items in the print online, and I think I'll wear the Jolene dress to see Girls Aloud this week! I also wore my small Zara heels, shunning the traditional mega heels. Most bloggers always wear sunglasses like Ray Bans too which might make it easier to pose! It is very hard to do that natural street style pose so I was just smiling for every photo as it was genuinely such a fun fashion week! 

Nails Of The Week 25: Celestial

I was hoping Topshop's Celestial would be like Essie's Lapis of Luxury, which Rihanna wore in her What's My Name video, but it seems even better! It's a bright, clear sky blue and very opaque so it looks almost gummy. I love 'unnatural' colours on nails like green, blue and purple as they stand out the most. I really wanted rounded nails again even though they don't wear very well and can look quite messy when they grow out a little. I went to the nail salon on the evening before Valentine's day though so it was too busy to ask for anything time consuming, although a girl next to me had some amazing pointed nude nails. She asked for designs on her index fingers of a gun and a knife and the nail technician was so confused haha! Definitely Valentine's appropriate?!

I only have a couple of Topshop polishes but their colours are so deep and opaque that I'll make a beeline for more if there is a specific shade I am craving. I might jazz these up with some 3D gems this week if I get bored.

Lucky Lace

I was on a hunt for a new dress all of last week for my housemate's birthday on the Friday. You know when you are looking for something and you just don't find it? I was after new shoes and a new dress but couldn't find either! There are no decent heels in the shops right now anywhere it seems. I did a mid-week ASOS order but everything was thin and too stretchy, so it was by chance that in the final hour I found this dress in Topshop. I had this picture that I reblogged on my Tumblr in mind and searched far and wide online for a similar dress, and then I went and found exactly it! 

Hidden behind a rail of bright midi dresses I found this lace beauty and thanked the Gods of shopping! It is nude with a very thin velvety overlay of paisley lace. However when I tried it on, I realised it only stretches in one direction so the sleeves are SUPER tight. Before you put it on, you have to make sure the seams are in the correct place or you will not be able to twist the sleeves once it's over your head! I also knew I didn't want a midi length as it just felt too formal for a cheesy club in Bristol, so I planned on hemming it, but actually in the end I just folded it under once about 10 inches! I'm so pleased I can still wear it as a midi length if I want to, and you can't tell it is folded under at all. They also have it in blue lace too! It was only £36 which is excellent for Topshop and for a longer length, and it should be in my outfit rotation for a long time!

Get in my wardrobe

Fashion week is approaching and so is a sudden new urge to shop, shop, shop! I think it's all hormonal as some weeks I'm obsessed with cleaning and sorting, and sometimes I just want a bunch of new things instantly. I'm obsessed with crop tops for every season so this New Look one is off shoulder perfection; yes I am signing up to off-shoulder-obsessed-anonymous meetings soon! I've never tried a frilled skirt but the way this Miss Selfridge skirt is half bodycon and half peplum seems a winner. I haven't wore my bargain Zara ankle strap heels yet but these with spikes are equally as beautiful.

I want some elaborate earrings ASAP and these ASOS cuties are right up my street, but I'm not keen on ordering online though so I expect there is something similar in H&M. A feathered clutch is something I would SO snap up right now but I'm looking for the perfect one, and this Miss Selfridge beauty has a chain strap too, so I'm considering getting it in my life. And lastly, I have all the Gucci perfumes and Gucci by Gucci is my favourite for a night out, so I really want to try Gucci Premiére. Maybe a Valentine's present to myself?

Nails Of The Week 24: Nude Sparkles

Oooo I got my nails did! I just googled a picture of this polish and I found one of my own from a few years ago when I did some crazyyy nails with this colour! It's called Linen by W7 and it's a creamy white with a hint of pink. When I first had it applied at the salon I worried it looked like a dirty white but in daylight it has milky, nude tones, which are super chic. I have a couple of W7 polishes and they have the best colours.

I fancied a bit of bling and actually did these on the train to Manchester on Friday! The guy next to me probably thought I was crazy but one nail doesn't take very long. I realised that the gems and glue would be more effective if the surface was rough so I filed the nail a little so make it less smooth. I'm quite tempted to do a few more nails for the weekend, and of course fashion week is coming up! I've decided my outfit (mostly Motel of course!) and am rather looking forward to hitting the cobbles of Somerset House!

A Manchester OOTN

Here is an outfit of the night as I went to Manchester on Friday! It's the first time I've been since July 2012 on my graduation so I was EXCITED! As a city, Manchester feels like home after studying there and all the vibes there are right up my street. You wouldn't go out on the town in trainers, put it that way! I love the pace of the city and how everyone takes the weekend as the chance to go all out. It was payday weekend too and I booked the day off work so I could travel up early. 

I had some Debenhams vouchers at Christmas and luckily in Bristol the MAC counter is there, so I booked an early makeover with my favourite makeup artist Claire and got a few new things! As I've said before, if you're spending £30 at MAC, you might as well get the free 1 hour makeover! Book in advance though as they sell out quickly! When you start getting a few, the makeup artists will remember you and know exactly what your into. Even though my appointment was at 11am, I knew it would stay on until the evening so later I just topped up this Kimmy K look with a bit more eyeliner and blush, and of course my favourite Eylure 202 double lashes. 

I thought I ordered this American Apparel dress when they had a 30% off day but it turns out I somehow didn't! I barely ordered it properly in time and thankfully it came; I always get AA dresses and the shiny effect on this one makes it super flattering. I recommend! I wore my tan Jeffrey Campbell Litas too as I realised the new black heels I bought didn't exactly fit outside the shop - have you ever done that? I swear they were fine when I tried them on but as soon as I paid, they were pain city.

As for Manchester, the shops were glorious and the night was full of party people. Such a good city!!

The Best Shopping Trip of ALL TIME!

Now I don't like to count my chickens before the hatch but I feel on the brink of a definite good time! Time recently has certainly not been the best and things have been generally rubbish with a side of heartbreak and a sprinkling of sadness. Maybe it's the world of karma but today I had an epiphany at the shops and the spending Gods were looking down on me with a smile.

Let me take you back to the end of work today, when I embarked to town to get my nails done and pick up a few items. I had a shopping list on my phone of conditoner and headphones and had a few shops to visit for some wishlist items. I've been around the sales and found them pretty fruitless, and the shops seem to have the last reduced dregs on a few sad racks. All in all, I didn't plan to buy anything and wanted to get back home for my tea!

After my nails, I popped into Boots and low and behold, they had the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo in stock!!! This is beyond a miracle because I have been in there at least five times this month and it's always sold out, and many Boots sales assistants has advised me it wasn't arriving any time soon. A while ago I was peeved that they were doing a '2 for £15' deal and they didn't have it in stock, but today they had it in stock AND the deal was back! Hurrah! The product is £13 itself so this is an amazing offer. None of the other Effeclar products interested me so I picked up two of these, and hopefully they will tackle any recent spots. It seems to be back in stock online too!

I was super chuffed by finally finding these - they are huge in the blog world and it's funny how you know exactly why the product is so popular, but the beauty people on the counters think it's bizarre! I was about to hit home but Zara is on the edge of the shopping centre in Bristol so I thought I'd pop in quickly as I have also been after the sold out ankle strap, kitten heels that are also massive over the blogosphere. I spotted the nude, jewelled pair in the sale a few weeks ago but they didn't have my size, and then realised all their AW12 kitten heels have been marked up to around £60 on eBay! It seems the trend took off late and once they were in the half price sale, they were all scooped up. I toyed with eBaying them but knew somewhere else would bring out a great pair, but to my amazement I walked straight into Zara and found these in my size on the shelves! Just the one pair! In my common shoe size! Considering it's the very last week of all the extended high-street sales, this could be a miracle. I didn't even stop to try them on and just took them straight to the till, where the lady revealed they were not the already-half-price £19.00 on the tag, but were now reduced to £9.99. Unbelievable!!

I love the berry colour as I wear a tonne of black and white, so these are a fresh change in a rich colour. What a find! Thank you to fashion fate and karma because I couldn't have planned a better trip. Maybe my scrimping shopping habits are paying off finally!