update & wardobe staple items...

hi guys, sorry it's been a while since my last post. i would like to say that i've been really busy, but, alas i have just been neglecting this blog! thank you to all 10 of my followers for following me and to those who have commented on my posts, i really appreciate it and will follow you all back right after i finish this post.
here are a few staple items that pretty much make my wardrobe. they can be worn with most things or interchanged for different looks, but overall i think these items are worth investing in...

Denim Jacket

either worn casually with a t-shirt and shorts or slightly smarter with a dress, a denim jacket will suit most occasions. you could also wear it over a hoodie in winter months.

Black Patterned Tights

i own way too many pairs of patterned tights, but they are a really good way of making a previously plain outfit more interesting with stripes, polka dots, floral designs and many more. i particularly like the henry holland suspender style that is popular at the moment.


Dr Martens

although slightly pricey, a pair of dr marten boots are worth the price as they are very versatile and wearable with most outfits for an alternative look, not to mention comfortable and a pair of these would last a lifetime. there are many styles and patterns available from floral to brightly coloured patent boots. stockists include sole trader, but if you want more choice i'd suggest camden market.

Denim Shorts

a must for every wardrobe, there are also many variations to suit most shapes and styles; high waisted, boyfriend, cut off, short shorts and many more. they can be worn with heels or dressed down with a band tshirt and converse, which ever suits best.

Ballet Pumps

these are so comfortable to wear and you can get tonnes of different patterns and styles to wear with many different outfits. i have about 10 pairs myself, but i think everyone should own at least one pair of these, definately. they are relatively in-expensive and available from most good retailers.

Statement Jewellery

a few contrasting or large statement pieces will instantly liven up a plain outfit, whether it be chunky bangles, an over-size necklace or head piece.

The Little Black Dress

a black dress can be worn over and over again to different occasions with different accessories for unique looks each time. there are many variations to suit all types of figure.

Red Lipstick

okay, not an item of clothing; but red lipstick is a total must. it can instantly add glamour and colour to a plain face, dressing up the most casual of outfits.

that's all i can think of for now. a few other of my own wardrobe staples include band t-shirts (i have tonnes of them), pretty floral dresses, a few pairs of heels, leopard print items, black & gold, tube skirts, a faux leather jacket & that's about it. if you have any other suggestions, i'd love to hear them! just post them as a comment :)

harry potter premiere...

well being a HUGE harry potter fan myself (it was pretty much my childhood) i figured it was apt to do a post on  who was wearing what on the red carpet. they all looked amazing of course and i wish i had been in trafalgar square at the time to be a part of it. this really is the end of an era. it's strange to see how much the stars have grown up over the years, starting out as 11 year olds and today being worth millions of pounds, especially for emma watson; fashion icon the world over.

emma watson looked like a princess in a floor length Oscar de la Renta gown. i love the skirt. actually i just love everything she wears as she never seems to go wrong.

another favourite of mine, evanna lynch (who plays luna lovegood), paired a white skater dress with these amazing gothic-look shoes. not to sure about the furry bag though "/

eccentric as ever, helena bonham carter looked great in a floor length deep green gown, adding her own style with the headpiece and ozzy osbourne-esque sunglasses. again, not so sure about the ed hardy purse. it kind of spoils the outfit, but then she's never been afraid of looking a bit strange.

bonnie wright looked lovely in a vintage style miu miu dress. i love the ruffled sleeves and detailing in the top, but the one-colour floor length aspect seems a bit much to me. too much white that could have been broken up a bit.

clemence poesy looks so cute in this chiffon dress by nina ricci. it's very flattering and works well for her.

afshan azad who plays padma patil wore a full leopard print dress. i like the shape of the dress, but am not so keen on the large leopard print on the skirt. she does look great though!

natalia tena wore a cut out laura ashley dress, cowboy boots and a feather hair piece. i admire her for having her own unique style, but this wasn't the right combination and i think the dress would have gone better with heels.

joanne rowling arrived in an Oscar de la Renta dress, which much resembled a curtain wrapped around her. i'm not a fan. i like the sweetheart neckline, but the cut of the dress is really un-flattering and looks like she's wearing a tent.

the boys also shape up well, with daniel radcliffe, the phelps twins and matt lewis all looking like wilf's* on the red carpet in sharp 3-piece suits. rupert grint's jacket on the other hand looks like he's wearing a dead animal. not nice.

*wilfs = wizards i'd like to fuck

primark haul...

i went shopping again today with a few friends. once again, the sales were very disappointing with the only items i bought being from primark. overall though, it was a really good day considering right now i would much rather be drunk, knee deep in mud and waiting for metallica to come on stage at sonisphere in knebworth!

• i was so pleased to find this leopard print travel bag! it's quite big and has wheels so will be perfect for taking on holiday. - £12
• multipack bras (very good value for money) - £3 for a pack of 2, reduced from £7
• black sunglasses with white polka dots - £1
• red patent platforms (!!!!!!!) - £3 (!!!!!!) reduced from £12
• double multicoloured charm/feather necklace - £2 reduced from £4

i'm especially happy to have found the shoes and the bag, even though the heels may cripple me. but they look amazing for just £3 so it'll be worth it :)

outfit of the day #2 & harry potter premiere...

today i went up to leicester square with a few friends to try and get a glimpse of the stars on the red carpet at the harry potter premiere...

• pink cardigan i bought about 8 years ago from sports direct :S
• white polo shirt with blue detailing - £4 (originally £8.99) from new look
• denim shorts - £2 (originally £12.99) from "be-bop" at tkmaxx
• brown belt - £1 from primark
• black tights - £2.50 for a pack of 5 from primark
• leopard print bag - £8 from matalan
• not pictured are my red ballet pumps from new look

unfortunately, the weather was not on our side earlier and we got soaked within 5 minutes of waiting. needless to say, we were not happy. it was pretty shit tbh. they were pushing us out of the way of all the standing spots, so we wouldn't have been able to see anything. but we got a few pictures in front of the "world premiere" signs, and at least we tried!

outfit of the day #1...

it's not very interesting today as i've only been round my boyfriend's house and into town, mostly driving so i pretty much threw on the first thing that came to mind.

• young guns t-shirt - around £10 on their web store or off grindstore
• distressed denim short shorts - £5 in the tkmaxx sale (£4.50 with my employee discount!)
• stripey/zig-zag tights - around £4 from dorothy perkins (unfortunately with a hole in them now)
• not pictured, but i also had on red ballet pumps from new look, and used my huge leopard print bag from matalan when i went out earlier.

july buys and favourites (part 1)...

on monday i went out shopping with my boyfriend (who is actually a really good shopping partner for a guy). there were quite a few sales on, most of which were disappointing (new look, miss selfridge, h&m ¬¬) but i did manage to find some great buys which i'm rather proud of :)

i found this fold up beauty case in a charity shop for £2.99 and couldn't resist buying it as it was so cute and leopard print! it has lots of handy pockets which will be good for all my make up and jewellery when i go on holiday, and it was brand new, making it even more of a bargain.

this cherry print playsuit was the last one on the sale rail in primark for £5 reduced from £13. it'll be good for the summer and wearing out with heels. i used to buy tonnes of stuff from primark, but have gone off it a bit recently as the prices have gone up even though the quality has stayed the same, which isn't very impressive. i do like this playsuit though :)

also from primark, this simple black satchel cost me £4, reduced from £10. although the material is very "plastic-y" for faux leather (a bit of a let-down), the bag is really spacious and was good for the price as i've been looking for a satchel bag for ages since my other one broke.

i've been looking for a pair of these tights for ages and was so lucky to find them in the new look sale for £2. they're a suspender style with heart decoration and i'll probably wear them with denim shorts and my docs or a short black dress i bought recently.

lastly, these denim shorts were, wait for it...£2 in the tkmaxx sale (£1.80 with my employee discount). i was so excited to have found these because i already have a pair exactly the same which i bought a few weeks previously, but they are literally the most comfy shorts i have ever owned. i love them!

Beauty Buys...

the falsies volume express mascara by maybelline: i've been meaning to buy this for ages after hearing rave reviews about it in various blogs and magazine articles, and how true they are. my eyelashes are usually hardly visible, they are so short. yet with only one coat of this mascara, there was such a difference. i would definitely recommend this. (around £6 from superdrug, but available from most good chemists)

superdrug tea tree facial wash: relatively in-expensive to my usual facial wash, this left my skin feeling clean and tingle-y. however, the smell was a bit strange. good value for money. (£2.99 from superdrug)

the body shop - papaya body butter: i bought this with my voucher from in-style magazine and i absolutely love the smell. i could just sit there sniffing this all day, it smells good enough to eat! it makes your skin feel really soft and of course leaves it smelling lovely. (£6 in the body shop sale, normally £12.50)

montagne jeunesse face masks: i tried the raspberry one of these at a girly sleepover with my friends last night. never having done a face mask before, the sensation of it drying on our faces was very strange. the masks took a long time to remove, and much scrubbing which made my face go a bit red. but, the end result left us with faces that felt as soft as a baby's bottom, plus they smelled amazing. a lot of hassle though. (99p each from most chemists)

style inspirations...

where do i even start with this?! the way i dress comes from so many different areas and influences. i'd say that i prefer to keep things a little off-center, dressing to suit my shape, with quirky pieces that emulate my personality whilst not totally dismissing current trends all together. i shop mostly on the high street and am a firm believer that you do not have to spend tonnes of money to put together an outfit that looks great. i also love finding one-off items in charity shops or camden market. here are a few people whose style i admire...

Lady Gaga

it really annoys me when people say that gaga is just stealing other peoples' ideas...err hello?! recognise creativity and stop being bitchy because she is practically god! i love how expressive and eccentric she is with her outfits, and how she isn't afraid to wear whatever she wants. she can pull anything off, from a meat dress to a classic trouser suit, to a leather leotard with blue hair. 

Alexa Chung

i love how "british" alexa chung's style is. she combines casual, guyish outfits with girly, english chic perfectly and effortlessly. i like the fact that she's not as styled or glamorous as hollywood a-listers like j-lo, everything is understated and subtle.

Marina Diamandis & Paloma Faith

both of them have heavy influences on the way i dress every day. their styles are so eclectic, kitsch and unique. i love marina's seemingly never-ending supply of brightly coloured lipsticks and paloma's completely random outfits and hairstyles.

Dita Von Teese

i absolutely adore the classic pin-up look and dita just does it so well. her, as well as original icons from the 40's and 50's; like bettie page and marilyn monroe, are huge inspirations to me. i also like how dita mixes classic with gothic features.

so yeah, those are just a few of the people i look up to, style-wise. i could go on all day, but there you go. who are your inspirations and why? xo