Although it's a little bit cloudy today, here in Co Durham, apparently we have a mini heatwave on the way at the beginning of next week, so in celebration of all of that potential sunshine, I thought I'd share a little nails of the day with you, from a couple of weeks ago.
Nails Inc are without a doubt one of my favourite nail polish brands, and I get a lot of my Nails Inc polishes from QVC UK. They do a lot of limited edition shades and great value bundles, and this particular shade, Poolside Paradise came in a set called Saved By The Beach which was a Today's Special Value from July 2019.
Poolside Paradise is a gorgeous summery, creamy coral shade, but it's one of those shades that just doesn't work that well on camera. These pictures are a pretty close representation of the colour but in real life it's probably a touch more orange toned and maybe a little bit darker but again it all depends on the lighting.
As per usual with Nails Inc, this polish features, a pull off lid, and a textured cap. The brush itself is quite wide which makes nail painting super easy on the majority of nails. I have chunky fingers and skinny nails though so I need to be a little bit careful with wide brushes to avoid overspill but otherwise this polish was a dream to apply.
The coverage was so good that I probably could have got away with one coat, but I went with two for a deeper, shinier, full coverage finish. It dried really quickly and it wore incredibly well even without a top coat. I did notice a bit of tip wear after about 3 days and a lot of typing, but it was still going strong when I finally removed it a week later.
There is a reason why I buy so many Nails Inc polishes and this polish sums it up perfectly, they're usually really easy to apply, the finish is usually spot on and they wear well. I think that this particular shade was either a limited edition or a QVC UK exclusive, so it will probably be pretty hard to find now, but it's definitely still out there I actually saw it on the TK Maxx website a few weeks ago, so maybe the discount and secondary market is the place to look. If you can't find this particular polish though and you love the colour, don't worry, I am sure that are plenty of similar coral colours out there. Are you still embracing summery polish colours? Let me know in the comments x
I don't know what the weather's been like where you are today, but here in my little corner of Co Durham the sun has been shining, but there has been a definite nip in the air. With pumpkins in the shops, and fallen leaves on the ground there is no doubt that we're now well into Autumn, and Summer is nothing more than a distant memory.
When it comes to Autumn in the UK the change in temperature can often be a gradual one, so in this era of cutting back, buying less, and wearing more, there are often ways and means of wearing at least some of those summer favourites, well into October and November. In this post I'm going to share with you just some of the clothing items that you can adapt for the slightly colder months, and if you can't resist the lure of the shops I'm going to talk about some the key items you could add to take you summer wardrobe into October, November and beyond.
1. Maxi Dresses
Now I've got to say that the only maxi dresses I own are very, very summery but if you have something in a warmer, toned plain colour, or in one of this summers popular nature and leaf designs, or even something in an animal print, then there is no reason why you couldn't continue wearing it into the autumn months, it's all about how you style it. By wearing a top underneath it or by pairing a maxi dress with a short, chunky cardigan or even with a leather jacket and boots, you'll definitely be able to get a few more wears out of it before the year is out.
2. Add Tights
Tights are a secret weapon for transitioning weather, and you can use them to make almost any summer outfit suited to the season. If you have a dress you still want to wear, adding tights will bring some warmth and also will allow you to add an autumn twist to a summer dress. There are so many colours and patterns in tights now that there really are no rules and no boundaries. Team a short floral patterned skirt with tights and boots, or even team up a denim skirt with tights and a chunky knit, for a cosy take on Autumn style. As well as tights, don't forget about leggings, yes you can wear them on their own but if a dress is too short to wear on its own in the colder months, add a pair of leggings to create another look, and to add an extra layer of warmth.
3. Layer Up
Speaking of layers, adding extra layers is the easiest way to turn a summer outfit into an Autumn and Winter one. As a curvy girl, especially, I'm a huge fan of layering, I don't really separate my wardrobe into seasons, I wear certain things like t-shirts and vests all year round, I just add an extra layer, be it a cardigan or a scarf or even another t-shirt. Layering is definitely something to think about when you're thinking about youroutfits for autumn, you can layer a shorter dress with a chunky cardigan or a thicker jacket, and create a look that is in keeping with both new season trends, and the changing temperatures. As well as other clothing items like cardigans, and jumpers, also think about your accessories when it comes to layering and making an old item of clothing more relevant. I am a huge scarf fan, and they are great for layering and of course for providing a much needed layer of warmth when the weather turns. I have a lot of different ones in different fabrics, patterns and thicknesses and they can really add the finishing touch to any outfit
4. Get a statement jacket
Layering is such a huge part of autumn fashion and it is something you always want to consider in that transitional warm / cold period. Chunky cardigans and even coatigans are all well and good but sometimes only a jacket will do. Now sometimes a waterproof jacket is the only way to go, but on those bright but chilly days, you need a good jacket or coat to not only keep you warm but also to pull your outfit together Choosing a statement jacket or coat isn't easy though there are so many different style to choose from, but there are a few fail safes, that never seem to go out of style
•A military jacket to layer over skinny jeans and vests
•A leather jacket which will go over dresses, Tops and jeans, and skirts
•A trench coat to layer over a simple outfit for a protective layer
•A bomber jacket to layer over jeans and sporty outfits
•A cropped blazer - A twist on the classic for a formal look or perfect for the office
I can pretty much guarantee that you'll have at least a couple of these options already in your wardrobe, I know I do, but if you don't shop around, charity shops, and resellers are great for more classic styles, and you'll definitely find something suitable on the high street no matter what your budget. Even if you're trying to cut back and cut down on the amount of clothes that you buy, a good coat in a classic style, and colour is always a worthwhile investment.
5. Use deep colours
When transitioning from summer to autumn style, the biggest difference that you will normally see on the high street is colour. Whilst, there will always be exceptions what was once a sea of yellows, pinks, greens, and blues, pastels and neons, is now a world of reds, oranges, browns, and purples. Yes, you can wear what ever colour you like when you like, but there is no denying that the traditional Autumn colour palette, that reflects the changing leaves, just makes you feel warm and cosy. Colour wise I'm a real Autumn girl, there are so many beautiful colours around at the moment ranging from mustard's, to terracotta, and wines, that adding even a tiny splash to any outfit will definitely give it that fall vibe. If deeper, warmer toned shades in clothing aren't for you though, don't worry, switch up your colours in another way, and add some warm bronzes, and coppers to your eye make up routine, and add a berry, or a warmer toned lip, and you're Autumn ready in a flash
Like so many people now I'm trying to buy less and wear more. Clothes don't have to be a one wear or one season wonder, it's all about how you style it and how you wear it. Treat your own wardrobe like you would a shop, pull out an item wear it differently, and experiment with your style. If you feel that your wardrobe is lacking something, go out and buy it, but think about what you're buying, how often you're going to wear it, and how you're going to wear it. I've bought a few items in Autumnal colours lately (outfit posts coming soon eek), that fit in with lots of other items in my wardrobe, I know I'll wear them, and they are different from lots of things that I already own. A change in season doesn't necessarily mean that you need a whole new wardrobe, add the odd piece and restyle pieces that you already own x What are your favourite fashion pieces for Autumn? Let me know in the comments x
Although they've been famous for a long time for their own versions of designer fragrance, NEXT isn't the first place that you'd really think of then it comes to high end beauty, and in the stores that's pretty much still the case, but online it's a whole different story.
I'm not 100% sure on the time frame but last year, I think it was, NEXT teamed up with leading online beauty retailer Fabled By Marie Claire, to offer a wide range of high end beauty brands direct from their own website. The NEXT beauty department now features new and up to date products from a wide range of brands including high street brands such as Clinique, Bare Minerals, Estee Lauder, Benefit Cosmetics and By Terry, as well as more quirky, natural and cult brands.
I don't know about you but everyday I have a bit of an online routine, there are several that I check every morning from news sites, to shopping sites where I go to check out all of their new arrivals. NEXT is one of those sites that seems to update their stock on almost a daily basis, and recently I was looking through their beauty section and I noticed this, their take on the beauty box.
Retailing at £12, the theme of the box is summer, and it contains 8 branded products with a combined value of at least £48, to help you prepare you body, skin and hair for summer. The items come packaged in the usual NEXT beauty packaging which is a reusable brown and mint green / turquoise cardboard box, and they wrapped in a sheet of white tissue paper.
Rituals The Ritual Of Sakura Sensational Foaming Shower Gel - Organic Rice Milk & Cherry Blossom - 50ml - Est. RRP £4.90
The first item in the box is something from one of my favourite body care brand Rituals. All of their products are inspired by Far Eastern body, and well being rituals, and this is one of my favourite scents - it has a beautiful soft, slightly fruity, floral scent. Containing nourishing rice milk, this product has a gorgeous creamy, that leaves you skin feel super soft and moisturised, and to save on space in your suitcase you can also use it as a shaving foam. When I first got rid of my bath, I definitely felt as though as though showers were an essential things, practical but not really a pampering experience, products like this though make the whole showering thing just that little bit more luxurious. This travel size is available direct from Rituals but you can buy the full 200ml size for £8.50 direct from NEXT.
Dr Paw Paw Rich Mocha Balm Multi Purpose Soothing Balm With Natural Paw Paw - 25ml - Full Size - RRP £7
Now I've tried a couple of these balms now, I've used the original in the past as an all over hydrating balm, and I recently tried the Hot Pink version which I received in the April edition of Glossybox (have a read of my review here x)
Containing pure Paw Paw / Papaya extract this is nourishing balm with just a hint of colour that you can use on both your lips and cheeks. It looks quite scary when you first squeeze out of the tube, in fact it looks a lot like melted dark chocolate.
Apply it sparingly though, and blend it out, and you actually get a sheer, neutral bronze, nude shade, that would work as a bronzer / cheek colour on certain skin tones and as a tinted lip balm, just don't apply too much, because it really could look as though you've been eating chocolate a la Charlie And The Chocolate Factory ;)
This is a full size tube and retails at £7 again from NEXT and various other retailers.
We Are Paradoxx Hangover Hair Elixir - 15ml - RRP £10
Next up probably some of the cutest packaging that I've seen! When you think of Ireland what do think of? amazing musicians - check, hunky actors - check, Guinness - check, and oh what else? Well whiskey of course! We Are Paradoxx is an Irish brand, that promote the philosophy of good hair, good conscience. All of their products are 90% plastic free, cruelty free, vegan, 97% natural, and are free from perfumes, mineral oils, parabens, SLS, SLES, and PEC's, and they also contain real Irish whiskey.
Packaged in this cutest mini hip flask on a key ring, this hair oil is specially designed for dull and damaged hair, and contains Irish whiskey, and argan, coconut and soya oils, to strengthen the hair, to improve condition and to add shine. This cute travel sized bottle is only available directly from We Are Paradoxx with a retail price of £10 but the full 75ml size is available for around £30 for a variety of retailers including NEXT.
Ultrasun SPF 50 Extreme Very High Sun Protection - 25ml - RRP £5.50
Next up an item from my favourite sun care brand, Ultrasun. I'm a huge, huge fan of the brand, and I swear by it whether I'm in the UK or abroad. It's not irritating, it's non staining and you don't need to reapply it every two minutes. This particular version is designed especially for extreme conditions or for people with extremely sensitive skin, such as babies and children. It is fast absorbing but non greasy, it protects against UVA and UVB and it contains Vitamin E and antioxidants. This travel size is available for £5.50 from NEXT.
Vita Liberata Fabulous Self Tanning Gradual Lotion - 50ml
Next up two products, from another Irish company, Vita Liberata. The bulk of this box is various different types and brands of self tan, and Vita Liberata are the experts in organic, sunless tanning products, and they are the first non toxic tanning brand. Their products are paraben, perfume and alcohol free.
Containing organic botanicals including aloe vera, melon, Shea butter, grape seed, marula, raspberry, lychee and seaweed, this lotion nourishes the skin and slowly adds a subtle dose of colour, without any colour transfer or staining. It also contains odour remove technology, and moisture lock technology for a slow, even fade. The full 200ml size retails at £15.
Vita Liberata Phenomenal Organic Tan Infused Cloth - 2 x 9ml - Est. RRP £4.50
Next up another product from Vita Liberata, I already have a pack of 4 of these that I got free with last months RED magazine but as yet I haven't tried them.
Created with the same benefits and ethos as the gradual tanner, these biodegradable tanning cloths are infused with the organic ingredients including and organic source of DHA, raspberry, aloe vera and pomegranate. Quick drying, and non staining, these wipes promise hydrating, quick and easy natural colour. I think that these would be great for holidays for touching up tan lines, or for sticking in your handbag ahead of a work night out. The pack of 4 wipes retails at £9 so this two pack would probably retail at around £4.50.
St Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water Face Mist - 14ml
For a long time, St Tropez was the go to tanning brand, and whilst the market is now pretty much saturated with high end sunless tanning brands, St Tropez are still at the top of their game and they're still innovating and coming out with new products and formulations.
Smelling gorgeously tropical, and containing 100% natural tanning agents and botanicals including hibiscus and green mandarin, this vegan friendly product can be used to add a natural glow to the skin. It can be applied both under and over make up and it has an ultra lightweight feel, it's designed to nourish and protect the skin and it's also designed to provide up to 12 hours hydration to the skin, making it a perfect addition to any summer make up bag. The full 80ml retail size retails at around £22.
Fake Bake Flawless Travel Survival Kit - RRP £ 6
The final item in the box is basically three items in one - it contains 3 sachet from top brand Fake Bake, that constitute a quick and easy three step tanning routine. This kit is available from NEXT and various other retailers and retails at around £6.
The first sachet contains and exfoliating towelette which contains skin care ingredients such as pro Vitamin B5, and Vitamins C and E as well as papaya which has contains enzymes that have exfoliating properties. This wipes help firm the skin, remove dry patches and help to remove previous self tan applications.
Fake Bake Flawless Tanning Towelette - 8ml
The next step is the tan itself, and this wipe is infused with Fake Bake's best selling Flawless Tan - with a black coconut scent, it features a guide colour, and Fake Bakes unique long lasting triple tan formula.
Fake Bake Coconut - Oil Free Moisturiser - 10ml
Finally you get a sachet of Fake Bakes oil free moisturising lotion, which contains coconut and Vitamin B5. Being oil free you can use it on dry areas before fake tanning, and over the top of your guide colour to prolong the life of your self tan.
Based on the little bit of research that I've done this box is great value for money, with a few full sizes, and some decent travel sizes. The self tanning items make up the bulk of the box but it gives you lots of opportunities to try new things and new formulations, and you also get a nice shower product, an all in one skin care and make up item, and a super cute hair product. Although I haven't had the opportunity to try all of the products yet, I think that this is a lovely summer kit that's perfect for holidays, travel or even for just shaking up your beauty routine for the summer months. I don't think that this is a permanent item so I'd move quick if you want to get your hands on it. It's available on the NEXT website for just £12 (excluding postage). Let me know if you have any questions on this box, and if you're interested in some summer beauty topics including fake tanning and hair removal, stick around because I've some good reviews coming soon x
Despite the fact that I'm not a big newspaper reader it's hard to escape some of the sensationalist headlines and stories that they print, no I'm not talking about celebrity gossip or Double Decker buses been found on the moon, I'm a Brit so of course I'm talking about the weather!
Apparently blizzards and snow will be with us in the UK before October is out; Personally I'll believe it when I see it, but there is no doubt that the temperatures have plummeted a bit in the last week or so, but to be honest I think I am still in denial, yes pumpkins and witches hats are everywhere now and the Boots Christmas Gift Guide is out but I'm still clinging onto summer and carrying on with my 'summer' beauty routine. For once I'm not being lazy and keeping up a regular hair removal routine (more on that to come!), I'm still playing with fake tan (more on that to come as well) and I'm embracing a beauty product from heritage brand NIVEA, the scent of which takes me way back to warmer and sunnier times.
For as long as I can remember my household has been a NIVEA house. From that familiar, retro blue and white tin, to the blue and yellow bottles of their suncream, it's a brand that's intrinsically linked to so many happy memories.
In comparison to so many of my peers I was pretty old by the time I went on my first proper holiday abroad. With a giant of a dad that wasn't keen on flying, and money that could probably be spent better elsewhere my holidays as a child were UK based, I was happy and to be honest I didn't mind that much, I'd been abroad with the school and that was enough for a while. When I got into my late teens though the lure of a proper beach holiday was real, and when I was about 18 or 19 I went on a plane for the first time and I went to Spain. I still remember the excitement of packing my case with bikinis, shorts, flip flops, and of course a couple of bottles of NIVEA suncream.
I'm not the biggest fan of coconut as a scent and that's probably why over the years I've always loved the scent of NIVEA's sun care range. As you've probably gathered from quite a few of my posts, I'm pretty useless at describing fragrances, but the official line from Claire Marlow Brand Manager at NIVEA, is that the traditional NIVEA sun scent contains fruity notes of Clementine and Pear Sorbet, floral notes of Osmanthus, Blue Freesia, and Magnolia, and warm notes of Amber and White Musk. Whatever it contains though I just see it as a fresh and clean scent, it's not overpowering, it's just warm and comforting and for me and so many others it's a fragrance that just screams Summer. Conscious of the love that their customers feel for the traditional scent of NIVEA Sun, earlier this year NIVEA decided to introduce a product that would allow us to experience the scent of summer all year round, the NIVEA Sunshine Love Caring Shower Gel.
Featured on This Morning, and named as one of renowned beauty editor Eve Cameron's best Spring beauty buys, this shower gel comes packaged in a chunky, easy to hold, flip top cap bottle. The packaging embraces the traditional NIVEA Sun colours of blue and yellow, but here the yellow dominates, with the bulk of the bottle being made from a clear sunshine yellow, amber plastic which mirrors the clear, pale amber liquid within.
With the heady, yet subtle scent of NIVEA Sun, this shower gel obviously contains no SPF or UV protection but it is dermatologically tested, and it's crammed full of Aloe Vera to refresh, moisturise and soothe the skin. Only a tiny amount on a sponge or a shower scrunchie produces a rich creamy lather. It does contain SLS but in my experience I still found it very moisturising. Having hit the big 4-0 earlier this my skin is definitely getting drier but this shower gel certainly didn't exacerbate that tightness and dryness, my skin just felt smooth and clean.
If you have a little bit of winter sun planned, this shower product is perfect for removing sun lotion, salt, chlorine and sand, and for reviving the skin after a day at the pool or the beach, but even if a beach holiday isn't on the horizon it's equally good for transporting you back to sunnier climes after a day out in the wind and rain.
So if your not quite to embrace, Autumn and Winter just yet, then this is a perfect, bargain way to hold on to that Summer feeling for just a little bit longer. NIVEA Sunshine Love Caring Shower Gel has a recommended retail price of £1.99 for a 250ml bottle but if I were you I would shop around a bit and head to Boots, B&M Bargains or Asda, and you should be able to get your hands on this little ray of sunshine for less than a £1. Are you embracing the changing seasons, and all things Pumpkin, or are you desperately trying to cling on the last dregs of summer? Let me know in the comments x
I've got an admission to make guys, I'm a hypocrite! I'm always going on about how much I love the sun and the warm weather but I'm going to have to be honest, hold my hands up and say that I've just about had my fill of summer 2018. We just aren't used to the heat in the UK! Okay we haven't had some of the scary temperatures that they've had in mainland Europe but when it's constant like it has been lately, it's not normal for us and we just can't deal with it. My energy levels are at rock bottom and all I want to do is nap, admittedly I'm in a lot less pain than usual but even the tiniest little thing is stealing ever single spoon from my virtual drawer! Thankfully a month or so ago I had enough cutlery to be able to paint my nails, and shoot a few pictures for the blog; Since then though my hands and nails have gone steadily down hill but at least I have these pictures to remind me of just how nice my nails and hands can look, when they are a little less heat ravaged and dehydrated.
If you're a long time reader then you may have originally spotted a version of this post way back in 2010. Thanks to the Photobucket fiasco the original photos disappeared, and since I loved this polish so much I decided to dig it out again and re shoot it for you. The polish in question is one of the beautiful and unfortunately now discontinued Milani 3D Holographic Nail Lacquers in the shade 509 HD, which is a gorgeous, full on, holographic silver.
Packaged in a slightly retro looking bottle, these Milani polishes have quite a thin brush but they are really easy to paint with especially if you have smaller or thinner nails. I'm not going to lie to you this one needs a bit of effort but it's well worth it. The first coat gives a pretty, insipid, sheer wash of colour, but it dries quickly, and you just need to keep at it, the formula is a bit thin but it's buildable, and with just the 3 coats that you can see here, you can achieve a fabulous smooth, and glossy full coverage finish.
At first glance this polish maybe isn't quite as vibrant as some of the other holographic formulations on the market, but believe me it all depends on the light. The two pictures that you can see above are taken in natural light on a slightly dull day, and the result is a slightly subdued silver glitter, pretty but nothing special, play around with the lighting though and this polish literally explodes into life! Move you hands about and add a little bit of extra light with either bright sunlight, artificial lighting or even with a camera flash like I have here and then the magic really happens!
Get your movement and your lighting right, and you have hands that you can't stop staring at. Every movement or flash of the light results in the most amazing 3 dimensional colour explosion. The effect is amazing and although it takes a little bit longer to achieve than with some holographic polishes, it's well worth the effort. The wear time is also pretty decent which is not only unusual for a polish in the holo formulation but it's also pretty amazing when you consider that this particular bottle of nail polish is now over 8 years old, and it's as good now as it ever was!
As I say I originally bought this polish way back in 2010, and unfortunately like so many things in the Milani range that I've loved over the years, it appears to have been discontinued so it's now pretty unlikely that you'll be able to get your hands on a bottle of Milani HD :( Holographic nail polishes thankfully now though are a lot easier to get your hands on than they used to be. I'm a huge, huge fan of holographic nail polishes, and I'm always on the look for new ones. I've picked up a few recently from the Mark brand at AVON, and I've also got a few new shades from Born Pretty to try and a lovely blue shade from Maggie Anne to try (Check out my Instagram to see some sneaky peeks). There are now loads of brands out there that offer holographic finishes and formulations, and whilst they can sometimes take a little bit of tracking down, if you want eye catching and show stopping nails then they really are a must have! It's going to be a little while before I can try out any of my new colours, but in the meantime if you have any holographic nail polish recommendations I'd love to hear them, my nails may be non existent but I'm always up for buying new polishes so let me know your faves x
When you're a child the days seem to drag, weeks seem like months and summers seem to go on forever. When you're an adult though the weeks and months tend to blur into one, and your life seems to be flying by at a million miles an hour. It hard to believe it, but this weekend is the last bank holiday for most us in the UK, till Christmas. What a scary thought, and with the children going to back school soon, and college and university starting up again, for many of us this weekend probably signifies the unofficial end of summer 2017.
Unusually for the UK, the bank holiday weather forecast doesn't actually look that bad, especially if you live in the south of England, but come on lets be realistic, in this green and pleasant land of ours we're never far away from a shower of rain. Although we've had the odd nice day, by and large this summer has been a bit of a washout. I'm still praying that we're going to get the Indian summer that the newspapers keep promising us, but in the meantime we need to use a bit of that British resolve and make the best of it. So this bank holiday weekend, put your latest DIY project on the back burner, crank up DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince and Summertime, on a waterproof speaker like the Panasonic Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker and enjoy the long weekend, and the last days of summer, whatever the weather.
Unlike most people in the UK I'm not the biggest fan of barbecues but if the weather's decent a bit of al fresco eating is the way to go, so get outside and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts. Get the music blasting, chill down some bottles and cans, and some soft drinks, or maybe even make up some jugs of Pimms or cocktails if you're feeling fancy. and then prepare enough food to feed the 5000.
Pop some potatoes wrapped in foil in the barbecue coals, then make or buy some nice salads, breads and accompaniments, and then fill your barbecue with enough sausages, burgers, chicken, and chops to feed the entire street.
In order to host a good barbecue though don't forget to provide a few vegetarian option for both vegetarians and people who are trying to stave off the meat sweats. As a vegetarian I've been to barbecues before and the only thing that I've been able to eat is the salad - not ideal. Thankfully there are loads of barbecue friendly, veggie options available including steaks, burgers and sausages, just cook them indoors or make a foil parcel on your barbecue to keep them away from those meat juices.
If you want to be a bit fancy though and really impress your guest then why not treat them to a veggie kebab or two. Kebabs always look so impressive but they are so easy to make, stick some things on skewers, add some sort of marinade and then pop them onto the grill. The possibilities are endless but why not try adapting my Lentil, Roasted Vegetable And Halloumi Salad recipe. Serve the lentil and rocket mixture on the side, and pop chunks of pepper, courgette, and halloumi on to some skewers, and then brush with olive oil, lemon zest and thyme leaves and then grill until the cheese has browned slightly, and the veggies are charred - simples and a bit more exciting than a burnt sausage!
Let's be honest though, as I've just said when does the British weather ever cooperate. The weather forecast promised fine weather so you plan for a barbecue or a picnic and then what happens? well the heavens open and all of your plans go out of the window! So what do you do? well like with all things you should have contingency plans, so if it rains, bring that picnic or that barbecue indoors.
Put on some summer themed tunes, and light some candles to set the scene, then if you can, move your furniture to sides of the room, and spread out either a paper table cloth or a picnic blanket on the floor. Get some cushions to sit on and some cozy throws to wrap yourself in, and then bring out some cactus, flamingo, or pineapple themed napkins, straws, glasses and paper plates, and bring out a board game or two, and before you know it you'll have forgotten all about the rain
It goes without saying that whatever your were going to cook outdoors, you can cook inside on the oven or grill, but why not impress your guests and be a little bit more experimental with you indoor picnic fare. Have a little look online at sites like BBC Food and you'll be sure to find lots and lots of summery recipes. to take both your indoor or your outdoor picnic to the next level (I'm loving the sound of the Ploughman's Cheese And Pickle Tart!). At the end of the day who cares if it's raining, with the right setting, music, food, drink and company, does it really matter that summer is nearly over?
Although I'm not planning either a big get together, a picnic or a barbecue this weekend I'm definitely going to have a good time regardless of the weather, and I'm going to take some time out to listen to some good tunes and enjoy some good food. Do you have any big plans for the bank holiday weekend? Let me know in the comments x
Whilst the weather in the last few hours has been more reminiscent of a tropical storm or the end of days, it's been hot and sunny in most parts of the UK this week, so at last it looks as though Summer 2017 has officially started. Like most of the UK this week, I opened my wardrobe and started looking for something cool and more summer appropriate to wear, and rather unexpectedly I closed the door and came out empty handed. In pretty much every Primark haul and video this year I've talked about why I don't need to buy anymore summer clothes, and that is still true, I own plenty of summer clothes, at the moment I just can't get my fat stomach and thighs into them! Talk about disheartening! needless to say I had a good cry, and then I went online and ordered myself a few bits in a larger size, and in an attempt to save myself a bit of money I've made the decision to resume my diet on Monday, so I can actually get some wear out the clothes that I already own.
So anyway back on point - this a Primark haul post, and both of the trips that I made this month were before I realised that I was a bit too chunky for the majority of my bottom half clothes, so clothing wise this haul just included a few basics and a few bits and pieces that I loved on sight.
Yes more stripes, I'm slightly obsessed at the moment, and I'm embracing my love of horizontal stripes and I'm thoroughly enjoying breaking those fashion rules, even if there was something in the news this week, about the Breton stripe inducing headaches hmm! Anyway this was the top that I originally bought last month that was on the wrong hanger. It's an ordinary long line t-shirt in white almost slubby type fabric with a very thin black stripe, it was only £4 and thankfully this one fits perfectly.
Next up more black and white stripes, and although this one is described as a cami dress, on me wearing this as a dress in the UK, could lead to an arrest for exposure! On most people these are probably just a very decent length, long line vest, I already own a couple of these in plain colours, and they are really good for layering. This one is black with a thin white stripe and it was also just £4.
So yeah stripes are huge in fashion at the moment, and something else that is also pretty on trend is the slogan t-shirt, jumper or swimsuit. We all seem to be obsessed with words and quirky sayings, and it's a trend that I'm personally a fan of. Although I'm more obsessed with having French words emblazoned on my clothes (odd but in reality the French accent doesn't do a lot for me!) the odd quirky phrase in English can be a lot of fun.
I already picked up a slogan t-shirt in my previous Primark haul (read it here) and I couldn't resist this one especially since it was just £2.50! It's a tiny bit shorter and snugger than I would have liked but at that price you can't really argue. I'm in the middle of a coffee love in at the moment so this slogan was perfect "Coffee First Then The World".
The final clothing item that I picked up is actually from the swimwear and beachwear range. An overseas holiday is looking pretty unlikely again this year for various reasons, but if I was going I would definitely have taken a closer look and Primark's holiday section. Admittedly I probably wouldn't have been able to squeeze my ass in to much but they had some gorgeous things for not very much money at all. I did pick up one thing though, this off white, crochet, lace effect beach cover up.
Although I think that this intended to be worn on the beach or by the pool over a bikini or a swimsuit, I'm intending to use it as a layering piece over a plain strappy vest to give it a bit more interest and to cover up a little bit. I've bought a few cover ups in the past for exactly this purpose and I think that they look great over a pair of leggings or jeans, with a pair of flip flops or sandals. This was also just £4 and it comes in a few difference colours.
That was it for clothing but i pick up a few pairs of shoes, I originally went looking for the Prada and Valentino copies but they had long gone in the two stores that I went in to. If you follow me on Instagram (i'm @LouLou699 you'll know that I recently picked up a pair of gorgeous pair of metallic pink, cool rose gold, Converse, and I love them. There are a whole range of metallic Converse on the market at the moment and I want all of them. My low Converse are probably my most worn shoes at the moment and if I couldn't wear nothing else bar Converse at the moment I would probably be okay with that. That said they are pricey and as yet I'm yet to see any in this shade.
Okay they aren't the real thing obviously but they are pretty damned close, and I absolutely love the bright metallic teal blue colour. I'm an 8 normally in Converse but I managed to get these dupes in a size 7. At just £8 I think that shoes are a real bargain, and I'm definitely going to try and get my hands on the silver pair as well.
I'm loving metallic anything at the moment, and loving navy and blue and much as I do, these metallic, rope effect, espadrille pumps are perfect and they are ridiculously comfortable as well.
They had these in a few different colours and for just £4 a pair they really are a summer most have. The sizing is pretty generous so in this case I also managed to get a size 7 and with even a little bit of room to spare.
Although I'm trying to cut down on the amount of jewellery that I buy and instead actually start wearing some of the pieces that I already own, on my first trip which was to the Newcastle store I did buy a couple of necklaces. They are both in the bib style and this first one which was £3 features a mixture of gold tone and crystal set discs.
The second necklace is also in the bib style, and it reminds me a lot of the Egyptian style necklaces that you see in images and representation of the likes of Cleopatra. It was £4 and it's comprised of gold tone, snake chain, with semi circles in both gold and silver tone hanging from, to give the illusion of hanging spikes.
I mentioned in my previous Primark haul post that I wanted to have a better look at their new beauty products, and I managed to a good rummage, and whilst I was impressed with a lot of the products for the price, in all honestly I didn't really need anything so I stayed strong, and just picked up one of their new nails polishes.
There was a few of these and I was initially going to be a few of them but since my nails have gone down the drain again, I just ended up buying the one, the PS Holographic Nail Polish in the shade 2 Cute 4 U. I'm not sure whether or it, I would describe it as a true holograph but it's actually a lovely pearlised iridescent with a sprinkling of holographic sparkle. I haven't properly yet so I'm not sure whether or not it's a full coverage polish or whether or not you could use it as a top coat but purely in the bottle it reminds me of one of the limited edition Nails Inc Unicorn colours. This nail polish was £2.
The final thing that I bought was a home item, and as much as I'm loving Primark's cactus and flamingo love in at the moment, I'm running out of space for frippery, so I just bought a reed diffuser. A few people have been talking about the quality of Primark's reed diffusers lately, and since I did really like the last one I tried, I though I'd give this tropical, summer scented Mango and Passion Fruit one a try. It was just £3 and I have really high hopes for it, I just hope that it doesn't disappoint.
So that was my latest Primark haul, giving my rather rotund frame at the moment I think I'm going to be looking elsewhere when it comes to summery bottoms (video or blog post to come when I do buy something elsewhere though ), but I did see a couple of tops that I might go back for. In the meantime don't forget to watch the accompanying video below or via this link.
If you have any questions please leave me a comment below and I'll see you soon with another blog post x
