Wanted!!!

Now and then, I thought it would be fun to show you what I'm currently swooning over.

So here we go, let's start with the fashion items. . .

* The La Lumiere Wrap Bracelet from HRH Collection here
Before the lovely Amelia got these, I was aware of Alex's blog and jewellery line but it was only when I read Amelia's blogpost, video and stunning photos after she hauled some of the HRH bracelets that I realised just how beautiful and very unique they were. The La Lumiere, an original from the HRH jewellery collection, just seems to embody exactly what the HRH collection is about and it holds the biggest, sparkiest Swarovski crystal of the lot.

 * The ASOS Suede Studded Bag here
I absolutely love this bag and think it is the perfect shopper for Christmas shopping season. I love the contrast of the suede and leather panels and obviously, I love the studs. Anything that sparkles or catches the light, I gravitate to.

* The Missguided Coat here
I saw this on Charlottes' blog yesterday and instantly fell for it. The shearling really softens the look of the khaki coat. As well as satisfying the Khaki trend, it also follows one of my favourite trends in a while, the contrast sleeve. I love this little number, it is cute, cosy and flattering. There is a good chance that this one will be skipping from my wish list to my doormat soon! : )

* The Sass and Bide Right Behind You Sequined Back Dress here
I've been keeping a beady eye on the Sass and Bide line for a while. This beauty I found on ASOS and I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that I will get invited to something special soon which will justify me buying this one.

Again, it has the two contrasting panels. Plain jersey for the front and sequins for the back. Subtle but teasing. I also like the classic shape, the sparkle and its' elegance. It's beautiful.

And now to the beauty . . .

 * Escentrics Molecule 01 here
This scent only contains one molecule and apparently, it is the important one, the one that attracts others. I'm very curious as to what this would smell like on me (apparently it can smell different on different people but is generally deep and woody) and if it would gauge any compliments. I also like the fact that others may not recognise the scent and I'd be wearing something different as I think, this is scent is not particularly well-known outside the online beauty community.

* Phylia de M, Connect here
I've been lusting after this leave-in treatment for about a month now, back around then I read an article in Vogue about big hair. Well, there is no doubt that my natural hair has finally reached 'Destination Long'. However, I'm still obsessed with my extensions as my hair just looks so thin and lacklustre without them. Apparently it takes some time to grow your hair long and then more time to grow it out in to voluminous locks to flaunt. Phylia Connect is expensive but is marketed as barnet fertiliser, a potent and concentrated treatment for your scalp, follicles and hair. One journalist claims hair was sprinting out of her head after using this concoction for a month. Given that, I think, I want this more then anything else on this list!!!

* The Burberry Eyeshadow in Midnight Brown No 21 here
Tanya Burr did a tutorial using this eyeshadow for pale skins a while back and since then, this one has sat patiently on my wish list. It is so pretty and reminds me a little of my beloved Naked from the Urban Decay palette. I think it is a little more shimmery, a bit darker maybe and dare I say a little more interesting but like Naked, I would be able to colour block it on my lid and that would be shadow done. Check out Tanyas' video here, it looks stunning!

* Prestige, My Blackest Lashes I wish it was here!!!
This is the only mascara I've ever used that gives L'Oreal, Volume Million a run for it's money and it was so friggin' cheap in Boots too, about £7 until they discontinued the Prestige line. Sad face. I miss the big, fat, glossy lashes it delivered with NO diva acts.

So that is what I'm swooning over and wishing for at the moment but to be honest, beauty is where I am at in what I actually purchase, particularly skin and haircare. Something that I read on Caroline's blog here keeps resonating in my head, 'If you would spend more on shoes, handbags, lipstick, jeans or fashion in general than you would on high quality skincare - you will be a sixty year old woman (and man) with a vintage wardrobe and a face like an alligator.'

So is anybody lucky enough to have or use any of these?

What are you currently swooonnning over?

I hope you've all had a fabulous weekend!

 

X

  

LOTD 1: Sass and Bide Clothes

So, I'm sure that I have mentioned the lovely Louise from 'Sprinkle of Glitter' once or twice before, I LOVE her blog and You Tube videos.

Louise has just created a feature on her blog called 'Love of the Day'. For ten weeks, she is going to blog daily about one thing that she loves and she has invited us to join her. What a fab idea! I think, I'm going to give this a shot!!!

So, today is the first official day of #LOTD and the topic of the day is Clothes.

Click here to find out more about 'Love of the Day'!

Yay, thank you, Louise!

I now have the perfect excuse to share with you a pretty, pretty top (when it comes to clothes and me, it ALWAYS comes back to pretty tops, usually vest style!) that I have been lusting over this last week or so. Honestly, I have been logging on every day, sometimes two or three times, to swoon over this little number.

Image from the Ebay listing here.

Sigh, isn't she gorgeous?! If it wasn't for the fact that yet again my car has 'broke' then I swear, this beauty would have been winging her way over to me by now.

She is a sample piece from Sass and Bide currently for sale on Ebay, find the listing here (and let me know if you're sassy enough to get her).

Let me list a few of the things I love about her:
- She is asymmetrical and one shouldered, a combination which always shows just enough flesh to be alluring and flattering.
- She is so versatile. I'd imagine, you could wear her with jeans, leggings, skirts or hot pants (if you so desire) and look equally stylish.
- All those sequins, who can resist a bit of sparkle? I love the fact that again the 'twinkle' factor is balanced. The black jersey base works the sequins well and keeps the top on the right side of OTT.
Also as the Ebayer states, much of Sass and Bides' current collection features sequins so she is 'on trend'.

While we're talking Sass and Bide, I also adore this simple but very cute 'Pause for Thought Tank Top' that I spy on the Harvey Nichols website (listed with a sale price of £42).

Image from the Harvey Nichols site here.

I love the way it appears to hang and the way, the circle of sequined embellishment will be just enough to catch eyes!

What clothes item are you lusting over or cherishing deep?

X

PS If you would like to join in with the LOTD (go on!:) ) then hop over to Louise's blog to find out more.

Treats!

This post starts with a tee shirt so has the potential to be quite boring but lets face it, this is not any old tee shirt.

1/ Just in case you didn't notice (!), this tee shirt is full of sparkle and therefore, can add that little bit more to any old outfit from a pair of jeans to a maxi skirt. Also, as soon as you slip this sequined number over your head, bam, you're 'in fashion'!

2/ Unlike many fashionable pieces, this garment is easy and comfortable to wear. I have really struggled to find a sequined number for my wardrobe. I found a lot of the high street stores were selling very heavily sequined vests. When I tried these on, the thin little straps seemed useless under the weight of the sequins, giving very little support and the top would quickly lose all of its shape. This one keeps a flattering form when you put it on. The tee shirt form is obviously a factor here but equally important, is the fact that this tee shirt is not covered in back to back sequins. Although, there are probably hundreds on the top, you can see, when the top is hanging, gaps between the sequins. They are kind of sewn on in a spiral trail and the size of the sequins varies. This looks a little bit strange on the hanger (and did put me a little on the defensive!) but once on, the gaps are not as conspicuous and effortlessly become part of the design. This helps to lighten the load a little but I also love the fact that only the front of the top is sequinned. The surprise factor as you turn and what looks like a decent but bog standard black tee turns in to a full on sparkle fest (lightweight style) is genius!

3/ Finally, I have to mention that this top is not too expensive compared to many similar numbers that I have seen on the high street. This find is from Quiz, a shop that, over the last month or so, has really surprised me with a few gems. Remember the metallic tops?

The cropped jacket that I've paired it with here is the Top Shop cropped one that Laura has featured a few times. I've always regretted not grabbing this one when she first posted it but it was summer and like most of my wardrobe, black again. It was also quite expensive so I made that age old silly decision to think about it. Of course, once I made my decision, my size was sold out online and I trawled a few stores with no luck. I looked for similar versions in New Look et al but none of them had all the little details of this one, collarless, cropped, a satin trim. In short, this one is about as exciting as a jacket can get!

Reluctantly I was considering putting the newer Top Shop faux leather offering ( It has the same lovely shape but with a collar and a faux leather trim) on my Christmas wish list when I wandered aimlessly in to my local Top Shop (tiny!) and something caught my eye on the back of a rack. My dream jacket with the satin trim and yes, they were in my two Top Shop size possibilities. Yay! When one fitted, have no doubt, I was at the till point handing over my card just like that. I couldn't believe my luck, still can't! I'm sure within a couple of weeks, this lovely little jacket would have earned its price tag twice over.

This post ends with a treat (yes, I know, another one but it is nearly Christmas). Broken umbrellas, practically gale force winds and paddling through puddles everywhere has slowly got to me this last week and my visions of a romantic English winter (not sure where such cinematic ideas came from, I've lived through the reality enough times) with pretty little snowflakes falling and an air just chilly enough to justify that new super cute, cosy coat purchase have all been dispelled. Now obviously I know on a worldwide scale, I'm very lucky with the weather. I haven't lost my home, I have water and all of these things that I take for granted but miserable weather still has the potential to make you feel a bit blah. What can I say, it's biology, psychology or something. However, the Hot Butter Fudge Sugar Body Polish from N-Spa has really brightened my evenings a little. It has enough chunky flakes to really smooth the skin but there is also just the right amount of jelly mixed in to soften the exfoliation and keep everything gentle. Now, I'm not always a big fan of food scents (particularly fruity ones) but this hot butter fudge offering is divine. It is so warming and soothing. I can not recommend this one enough especially since, I brought it in Asda for just four pounds.

Oh and did I say this post was ending?! Well, not without a little boast. I can now (and have ran several times, thanks to the Get Running App) run solidly for 25 minutes straight. Not much but I am so ridiculously proud of myself and have to play Drake and Nicki Minaji, Make Me Proud on the way home. This performance is so frigging adorable.

I hope you're all doing ok. A big hello *waves, jumping up and down* to my new followers and commenters. Just a few more until we hit the GFC 50 followers (so go follow now) and then there will be a giveaway and eek, I think, I know what I want the giveaway prize to be ; )

What sequined tops are you flaunting? What beauty treats can you recommend to brighten the mood a little?

X

Sigh, the Monsoon Dress!

Sometimes, it is the little things which put a dampener on your week. Silly, I know but I can't get this dress out of my head.

Sorry, this is the only pic I can find online. Links here to the page and eBay seller (and presumed photographer)

Yes, I know, pretty magical!

When I saw it on the hanger in a local Monsoon Outlet, did I swoon! Probably, quite audibly!! It looked so beautiful as its tens/hundreds of sequins twinkled away at me. As I pulled it off the rail, it was hard to believe this was hanging in a local outlet store. The sequins, the flapper shape, the weight and with a cut which preserves your innocence, made it hard to believe that this lovely little garment really wasn't from another time.

As I looked closely at that dress, all I could do mentally was swoon a little more and tick, tick, tick!

- Glamorous and sophisticated . . , a twist on the little black dress . . , tick!

- On trend. . . sequins, sparkle, metallic, reminiscent of the Metallic Twenties inspired pieces Gucci have being pounding out . . , tick!

Image from here

- Wearable . . . christmas, new year, special occasion galore . . , tick!

- Good value . . . reduced to forty pounds something and er, just so very divine . . , tick!

Of course, I had to try it on.

And alas, it wasn't to be!!

It seems on my short, stumpy legs, skirt lengths need to be of the extreme, either very short or very long.
Sidenote: Oh yes, I'm not sure if I mentioned this but now we are right on the tail end of the maxi trend, I've only gone and discovered despite my stubborn skepticism, I can work maxi lengths (or the midi which looks like a maxi on me)!
Unfortunately on me, this one fell on that very unflattering point just above the knee and made me look like a murder mystery actress who hasn't quite found her role yet. The beautiful cut on the hanger seemed lost as the dress hung awkwardly on me.

Drat, this dress was (is) so beautiful (and reduced!) but there was no way it was gonna work for me so reluctantly back to the rail, it went, where it awaits one very lucky lady to work it. I've got to say, I've felt a bit wistful thinking about this dress this week. Have you ever found a dream piece that just wasn't for you?

On the plus side, I am now aware just how good some of the Monsoon dresses look. This one was in Vogue.

View here!

Continuing with the shopping (or lack of) theme . . .

I'm still trying to incorporate some metallic in my wardrobe but full on sequined numbers just don't seem to work on me and so the best compromise I have found so far is the little silver metallic scalloped number above from Quiz . This is very me but of course, I couldn't find a size to fit properly in my local store. So the search for a little sparkle continues, I guess, this week, wardrobe building just wasn't to be!

And finally . . .
I'm definitely astride the scented candle fad and brought a few too many Yankee candles from a local Hallmark earlier this week, Evening Air, Fresh Roast, Pumpkin Spice, Sparkling Sugar and a miniature of Mistletoe and Fig.

To be honest, the only one I have used so far is the Sparkling Sugar. It is just so delicious, very sweet and I just love how a toned down version of the scent lingers in the air, on my furniture and in my hair. It smells of sugar so reminiscent of birthday parties, cake and all things that make me happy. Really recommend especially since it was on offer in Hallmark for just £4.72. All Yankee Candles in Hallmark seemed to be at least half price.

The Apothecary No 008 one that I blogged earlier in the week smelt pretty much as I described here. However, it seems a bit watered down compared to Sparkling Sugar.

Have you tried Yankee candles? What are your faves? Do you ever go shopping and it just doesn't happen?!

Oh and I'm still on the reading thing, currently still on The Help. I'm really enjoying it (as I progress further, it is almost like the scenes are unfolding in front of me. I actually gasped when I realised Miss Skeeter had left her bag at Hilly's meeting. The characters are so true to their identity and the story that seems to be unfolding) but it is a bit more of a tome then some of my previous reads and therefore is taking me a little longer to get through.

As for the running, I've just finished week 4 of the Get Running app. Yay! I'm finding it easier to motivate myself and then to breathe when I get going but oh, my joints aren't half starting to ache! *Adds proper running shoes to ever-growing 'To Buy' list*

Happy weekend!

X