Work It Out: Fit and Flare

Taking advantage of the 20% off offer at Dottie P's on VFNO I popped in to pick up a couple of dresses from one of my recently discovered brands - Closet. I absolutely adore the deep, crisp purple shade of this dress and the cute fit and flare style. A more wearable (in the length) and ladylike version of the skater dresses that have been replicated by a number of brands in a rainbow of colours.

 Dress: Dorothy Perkins (£42), Patent Belt: Ted Baker, Patterned Tights: M&S, Boots: DP

As much as I like the colour and cut of this dress the fit wasn't as I had hoped. The waist sits much higher than I would like, which makes the little pocket flaps stick out, rather than fall flat on the hips. This does look a little unflattering as it makes you appear wider rather than creating a 'cola bottle' silhouette.. you win some, you lose some. So to create a better shape (and make it more work friendly) I paired this dress with a fitted, single button black jacket from Zara to cinch in the waist.

During the day I paired this outfit with patent and suede heels from DP. These are high, but comfy due to the t-bar strap, and at only £35 (here) they make a great bargain ;).

This is a fun outfit to take you from day to night - happy Friday my lovelies!!

Are you wearing flared dresses this season? What colours are you adding to your winter wardrobe? Have you tried Dorothy Perkins' Closet range? Any pieces you would recommend? xxx

Liverpool

This weekend I took the first of what is to be many trips to Liverpool. Being a London girl through and through I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the city. Even though the trip was just a taster it gave me lots of ideas of things to do the next time I visit! Everyone was so friendly and helpful, I guess it is true what they say about the North ;)!

On Friday we stayed at the Base2Stay boutique hotel, which was in a great location, minutes from Lime Street Station, the city centre and most importantly for me the Liverpool One shopping centre, which reminded me of an open air Westfield.

After a quick change we headed to the Albert Docks for dinner at the Blue Bar and Grill. I chose a midi dress from Oasis (on sale in store, online here) with Primark turquoise stone and leather sandals.

The bf wore a checked shirt from Ted Baker that I picked out a few weeks ago. I really like the thicker, classic blue check mixed with a thin 'zingy' lime stripe. The cool colour palette really sets off a tan and with it's rolled up sleeves works perfectly for the Summer!

The next day we were up early to explore the town in the beautiful sunshine. The perfect excuse to wear my new tortoiseshell sunglasses from Fiorelli that I picked up in a recent BrandAlley sale.

  Cool kids!

Star jumpsuit - Zara. Shoes - Primarni (as before).

I hope you all had a lovely weekend in the sunshine! xxx

Work It Out: Bow

Everyone needs a little shift dress - it suits any bodyshape and can hide all manner of sins, even a big pasta lunch in my case ;).

 Bow Shift Dress - Ted Baker.  Shoes - Zara

With a cardigan or suit jacket for the day and a statement clutch for the evening a shift dress is a perfect transition piece from morning to night.

TRW - OOTD

Since neither my friends nor I were invited to the royal wedding (quelle surprise!) we were very excited to attend a party in honour of the wedding in the heart of Trafalgar Square instead. With plenty of delicious canapes and glasses of champagne that were refilled with the utmost haste it was the perfect way to celebrate such a special occasion. I decided to keep within the 'royal and loyal' theme and wear a bright red dress, inspired by the style of one of the esteemed wedding guests - none other than Mrs Beckham ;).

I purchased this VB inspired dress from ASOS a few weeks ago, initially to wear to work due to its modest hemline. On arrival I decided this dress would be better suited to other occasions - let's just say it looked a little more demure on the athletic build of the model ;). I paired the dress with a patent leather belt from Ted Baker and black heels from Carvela.

Makeup was applied hastily using a hand mirror while watching the wedding footage, so was kept pretty simple using all the usual suspects (NARS sheer glow as foundation, laguna as bronzer and MAC well dressed blush). On the eyes I used Urban Decay's naked palette (sin on the lid and naked in the crease), Dior liquid liner and No7 Exquisite Curl mascara. I then added a little colour to the lips with The Bodyshop's lipgloss in an unfortunately discontinued sheer red colour.

To add some volume into my hair I used Shan Rahimkhan True Colour shampoo and Double Phase Leave in Treatment as a light spray leave -in conditioner. I don't use these every day as my long hair needs a lot of moisture to keep it soft and nourished, but for days when I need more volume and bounce these products are unbeatable! They make my hair feel very light and help the volume created through heat styling last much longer. As I was pressed for time instead of using hot rollers I used the Babyliss Big Hair to add height at the roots and some soft curls at the ends.

I hope you all had a wonderful day off and enjoyed the royal wedding. Did you celebrate at home or join in a street part? If you were in London did you manage to catch a glimpse of the beautiful couple? xxx

Gifts for Him!

In the second installment of my perfect gifts guide we are going to talk about the boys, the mice and the men ;). Males of any age are notoriously difficult to buy for unless you are blessed with a guy that possesses a genuine passion for something... anything other than beer and 'insert appropriate sport here'. In my experience once a boy reaches the age of 13 he is interested in little but girls anyway...


Elemis Daily Men's Grooming Collection (£27 -10% at feelunique.com) - For the man who is a little tentative when it comes to skincare this set makes a perfect beginning to a routine. My very low maintanence bf has been testing this out for 2 weeks and has provided me with some valuable (albeit typically manly) feedback, though bless him for trying! He absolutely loved the skin soothe shave gel (and even asked me to get him some more!) as the foam is thick and firm it allows the blade to glide smoothly and gives a very close shave. The deep cleanse facial wash 'did a good job' and cleansed the skin without making it feel dry. The daily moisture boost was perfect for use after shaving and he found it lightweight and soothing, without being greasy or breaking him out. Overall he really enjoyed the set, and given that he normally rejects every product I attack him with... ahem.. let him try, I highly recommend it!

Armani Code Gift Set (£45) and Bleu de Chanel (£42). My two favourite men's fragrances for the season. The Armani code was purchased for the bf last year and is a great all rounder - a masculine contemporary fragrance with citrus and olive tree blossom that belnds into a slightly woody finish. Bleu de Chanel was a recent purchase that I just couldn't resist. This fragrance really reminds me of the original Abecrombie eau de toilette, but with a sophisticated twist. Incredibly sexy and fresh with notes of sandalwood, jasmine, citrus and incense it wears well and lasts through the day. The bf has given me great feedback and so have many of his female colleagues... perhaps one too many ;)?

Call Of Duty Black Ops (£39.99) - As much as I hate being woken every Saturday morning by the sounds of gunfire I can't deny the fact that pretty much every guy I know loves this game. Whether he has an X-box, PS3 or even a Wii the new COD will occupy him for hours ;). I usually use this time to blog, read or even have a little pamper so it's a win all around!

Ted Baker Shield Wool Winter Coat (£350) - If you want to really treat that special boy and keep him warm, while looking stylish this winter a coat would be a great purchase. The deep navy colour is flattering on any skin tone and does not look as harsh as black, or as 'tatty' as brown. Of course my choice had nothing to do with the doe-eyed male model, but you can't deny he looks gorgeous! The sharp lines and military inspired detailing keep this classic shape modern and sophisticated, while slimming the figure.. for the gentlemen who require a little streamlining ;).

FCUK Brown Leather Belt (£12.99 down from £30) - I always think it's a bit cheeky buying a present on sale, but hey, I won't tell if you don't. Every guy needs a smart belt and though it may not be a very exciting present it will be a useful one that he will probably wear every day!

 

Remington Groom Innovation Navigator All in One Kit (£29.99) - For the man who takes a little more care of himself this is an absolutely fantastic set to cover all his needs (some of which you may not want to know about... nose and ear trimmer anyone?). This kit includes the PG520 unit with up to 60 minutes of cordless usage (that's a whole hour of nose hair trimming!) as well as 5 attachment heads, a body hair trimmer, wide trimmer, fine trimmer, mini-foil shaver, nose & ear trimmer, 3 combs for different hair lengths (1 – 20 mm), charging stand, cleaning brush & oil bottle. Amazing value for so many tools, and you can be sure that he will find something he can use, or something you can convince him to use in the New Year ;)!

TIGI Bed Head for Men Matte Separation Workable Wax (£8.45) - We all know that guy at school, university, in the office that uses too much hair gel. The 90's are over boys, it's time to update your look! This pliable, matte wax will leave hair looking natural, sorry Westlife, and give it a secure hold without looking greasy or setting stiff and crunchy. If you no longer want sticky fingers after running your hands through his hair, sorry Ross from Friends, this may be the budget friendly hint.. umm... gift you are looking for!

I recently read the results of a poll that announced the gift most men want is that of experience, while girls prefer clothes, jewelry, cosmetics and other tangible items (go figure!). I completely agree with this, and even though it may take a little more organisation an 'experience' is a fantastic present. Of course you can chose something your man is already interested in (Super Car Driving, Golf), but I prefer to try something new such as learning a new skill (Cooking Lessons, Wine tasting, Clay Pigeon Shooting - went down a storm for the bf's bday!). Or why not try something unique such as Feeding Big Cats by Hand or a Flying Lesson?

I hope this gives you some ideas ladies! Good Luck and let me know if you have any recommendations :). xxx

Gifts for Her!

The most hectic days of the year are upon us and with only a week to go before Christmas it's time to get organised! So many of you have sent me messages asking for advice so I thought I would put together a little last minute gift guide, to suit all budgets, for those struggling to maintain the Christmas cheer while bustling around the shops ;). Let's begin with gifts for her (for him and for you coming up next)!

For Her

Liz Earle Essentials Try-Me kit (£21.75) - This skincare set is great for any age and would make the perfect gift for the girl who is always too busy to pamper herself, but deserves a lovely treat. This kit includes the celebratred Cleanse and Polish (with muslin cloth), Instant Boost Skin Tonic and two Skin Repair Moisturisers (one for dry/ sensitive and one for normal/combination skin) enclosed in a durable little makeup bag.

White Tea and Ginger Bath Gift Set (£24.99) - For the budget conscious who don't like to show it this set has a great range of beautifully presented products including bath soap, body lotion, bath confetti, hand wash, bubble bath, bath salts, shower gel, and sponge in a stylish ceramic bowl. You don't have to rush out either, if you order by Tuesday 21st December with standard delivery your gifts are guaranteed to be delivered by Christmas Eve!

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant (Limited Edition) (£15.50) - In this harsh winter weather Eight Hour Cream is an absolute handbag essential for dehydrated skin and chapped lips. The limited edition packaging is adorable too!

ELF 100piece Eyeshadow Palette (£15.00) - Having had the opportunity to try this palette out it is evident that the price does not reflect the quality of these shadows. Pigmented, smooth and with a range of textures this palette would make a wonderful gift for the younger girl starting to experiment with makeup through to the makeup master. I absolutely love it and think it is incredible value for money.

GHD Midnight Collection Gift Set Limited Edition (On sale £119.20 down from £149!) - This wonderful new GHD set would make a wonderful gift for the glamorous girl in your life. We all know GHDs are pricey, but this set including the gold classic styler, limited edition travel hair dryer, styler pouch with heat resistant roll mat, treasure chest case, baroque travel mirror and two ghd sectioning clips is currently 20% off!

Ted Baker Tellan Leather Jacket (£299) or Reiss Rogers Biker Leather Jacket (£275) - Every girl needs a good leather jacket, and I am in love with these two. The quality of the leather is stunning in both and the feminine, fitted shape makes it versatile and perfect to throw over a party dress or a smart blouse and pencil skirt. One of these is actually my Christmas present this year ;). Yay!

Viktor and Rolph Flowerbomb Gift Set (£48.50) and Emporio Armani Diamonds Gift Set (£34.50) - At a recent fragrance event I was given the chance to try a multitude of different perfumes and these are my two top picks for the season. V&R is one of my all time favourites - femine and floral this warm, sweet fragrance with notes of tea, bergamot, jasmine, orchid and rose is a signature statement scent. Armani Diamonds is a fragrance I had never tried before - elegant and feminine with top notes of rose and raspberry that blend into an amber and vanilla base, I think this perfume will be enjoyed by many!

Zara Messenger Bag (£29.99) - While browsing the Zara website (as you do!) I noticed this stunning bag and thought it would make a perfect present at a budget friendly price! With it's classic shape, mix of materials and geometric perforations it is completely on trend for this season, and will accessorize a number of outfits perfectly.

Phew! I hope that was helpful my lovelies! Stay tuned for the next installments in this series - For Him and For YOU! Hope you are all well and looking after yourselves :). 

Natalya xxx