A Ray Of Sunshine On A Blustery Autumn Day

What I Wore

High Neck Black T-Shirt - Simply Be

Floral Scarf - Isle At Edinburgh Woollen Mill - EWM

Black Converse Ox Low Tops

Dorothy Perkins - DP Curve - Yellow Elastic Back Ankle Grazer Trousers 

I don't post a lot of outfit posts but when I do I try to always take something away from the experience, and this particular one, although quite boring and insignificant to some ties together a couple of recent blog posts, one which was about taking your summer wardrobe into Autumn, and the other which all about ways in which to boost confidence and self belief (read my posts here and here)

These trousers were really a summer buy from Dorothy Perkins Curve line, when I bought them back in April / May time, and whilst I've worn them a couple of times with both a white top, and a white shirt, and a chunky yellow necklace, I can honestly say that I've never felt completely comfortable in them, I don't mean fit wise, I mean more mentally comfortable, and confident.

I've seen so many people look amazing in similar coloured pants, but on me they were just too much, they were too bright and they drew too much attention to the worst parts of my body. So like a lot of items lately I put them back in the wardrobe and reverted back to my "safer", more conventional, darker pants.

When I was putting together that post on Autumn fashion though, these trousers immediately came to mind. Drawing on the colours of the Autumn leaves, yellows and mustard's are pretty much staple shades at this time of year, and whilst I'd originally just seen the trousers as a summer season wonder, there was no reason why I couldn't try wearing them again in the colder months.

So instead of teaming them with lighter, more summery tops, I switched it up a bit and teamed them up with a real wardrobe staple, a plain black t-shirt, some black and white low top Converse, and just to soften the look, and to get a bit more wear out of it, a very summery floral scarf, that contained similar mustard yellow tones.

Not only that but I ditched the mirror selfie and I persuaded Mummy Lou to take a few outfit pictures for me. As much as I love clothes and I love fashion I've never been comfortable with having my photo taken, I don't know whether it's down to my facial paralysis but I've always needed to be in control of how people see me, but sometimes you need to face your fears and do it anyway - after all she's my mam - she's there to love and support me, and to lift my confidence.

So we went outside, dodged the rain showers and found a great place to shoot that was full of character, and looked positively dreary next the sunshine yellow of my trousers, and we shot a few pics, and do you know what? I don't hate them, and I certainly don't hate the trousers.

Obviously there are things that I would change about myself, and my appearance, but hey this is me at the moment, curves and all, and I think I need to try and love what I see in the mirror a little bit more. Do you know what though? I do think I'm rocking those trousers, so much so in fact that I ended up wearing them for an appointment and a shopping trip.

I don't think that I'm ever going to have the supermodel esq confidence that a lot of bloggers, You Tubers and Instagrammers seem to have when it comes to posing and posting outfits, but we aren't all the same, and hopefully in time I will become more comfortable posting pictures, and sharing my style with you, and at the same I hope that with every picture I'll learn to love and accept myself just that little bit more x  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this - how do you learn to love yourself, and how can you improve your own body image? Let me know in the comments x

A Late March 2019 Primark Haul - Clothes, Accessories And Beauty

Like most bloggers I don't know where I would be without my loyal readers and followers, I know it sound slightly cheesy but I love you all and I really do appreciate every like, comment, share and view that I receive, it's what keeps me going. Now I've been lucky enough to receive a few nice messages and DM's over the years, and I recently received a DM on Instagram asking me if I'd been to Primark recently because they hadn't seen any haul posts or videos. Proper hauls have been pretty thin on the ground so far this year, and this message made me realise that a Primark trip was well overdue, so a couple of weeks ago now, after a few false starts, me and Mummy Lou eventually took a little trip to Intu Metrocentre*, and headed to Primark.

Now since I hadn't been to Primark since the week before Christmas lots of things had changed, and the boots and winter woollies, had been replaced with shorts, bikinis and flip flops! Despite seeing a few people in shorts recently, I'm not quite ready for summer just yet, but I did end up buying a few pieces that are probably better suited to barmy spring days rather than the snow that's forecast for next week!

When it comes to dressing my bottom half, I do think that I'm stuck in a bit of a rut, jeans, leggings and jeggings are my go to's, and whilst I did pick up a pair of my wardrobe staple, black, cotton leggings for only £2.50, I'm fancying making a few changes style wise this year, and wearing a couple of long forgotten bits in my wardrobe, and picking up a few new, and different things.

Since I'm all about comfort the most obvious bottom half solution is / are joggers! At their heart, they're slouchy, and comfortable but depending on how you style them, they can actually look pretty stylish. Primark was full of joggers, and harem style pants, in all sorts of different designs, fabrics, and colours, and I ended up buying two, quite different pairs

The first pair, which were £7, I guess were the safe option. When in doubt go for a plain colour, and you can't get a safer option than a pair of black trousers. These are just a basic pull on, straight legged pant, with an elasticated, tie detail waist. The fabric is quite thin on these so their definitely more of a spring / summer piece, but they really wearable and black trousers go with pretty much anything.

The second pair that I got though, were a bit more of a gamble, but when I was a bit more daring in my fashion choices I used to love striped trousers - A good vertical striped pant can make you look taller and thinner, which is always a good thing in my book.

These are more like a traditional cuffed jogger, the fabric is slightly thicker, and has a stretchy jersey type feel. Again they are in the pull on style, and they have a waist tie, that is tipped with metal accents. They have a slight harem shape and are a bit wider at the waist and hips, and they narrow down to a cuffed hem.

They are in a lovely navy blue shade, and as you can see they have white vertical, solid and broken vertical stripes. They were £6 and whilst they obviously aren't as versatile as the black pair, they are so soft and comfortable that I know I'll get a lot of use out of them. The most obvious choice is to team them up with a white top but I'm definitely going to have a play with shapes and colours - I'm loving different shades of yellow at the moment and I can just imagine these pants teamed up with a yellow cami in the summer.

Whilst I still feel that I need an overhaul in the bottom area of my wardrobe, it's probably fair to say that I'm pretty well off for tops, and if anything I probably have too many as it is, but I do love a bit of tie dye, and I'm really that there is so much of it around at the moment.

I've already bought a couple of long sleeve tie dye, ombre style tops from Simply Be, and I couldn't resists picking this one up because it's so different for any of the other tie dye garments that I already own.

This boyfriend style t-shirt which was just £6 is just so fresh, and spring like with it's pale, sky blue and white horizontal stripe tie dye design. I actually sized down in this because it was so slouchy and I wanted it to be a little bit more fitted. I know Primark can sometimes be a bit hit and miss quality wise but this has a real quality feel, the fabric is nice and soft, and it has a nice thickness to it, and I can't wait to wear it when the sun comes out, and it actually feels as warm as what it looks like through the window :)

Next up something that I don't think that I've ever shown you on the blog, my knickers! Now I love fancy undies as much as the next person, and I recently added a few pairs of sexier pants from Victoria's Secret (shock horror I found something in there that fits my curves!!!) to my underwear drawer, but lets be honest my fellow females, sexy undies are perfect for making you feel amazing and obviously for those special occasions but sometimes you just want a nice and comfy pair of pants. Like so many others I used to swear by Marks and Spencer for my everyday pants but in the last year or so I've being buying multi packs like this from Primark and to be honest I haven't noticed to much difference in terms of quality or wear. One thing that I despise though is baggy undies so I always tend to buy a smaller size than what I actually am, there is nothing worse than washing your pants a few times and the elastic giving up - go a bit smaller and they end up fitting perfectly. Even if you are an expensive underwear wearer, then these pants are perfect for everyday use and for that time of the month - this pack of 5 cost me just £3.50.

So that's it for clothes next up jewellery and shoes! Ever since I was tiny I've always had a thing for shoes, and do you know who I blame Mummy Lou! Some of my earliest and fondest memories are the trips that me and my mam used to make to the massive Tommy Balls shoe factory outlet in Blackburn, I have a vivid memory of sitting under a shoe rang whilst my mam filled up her basket. She always complains when I buy more shoes but it's pretty obvious to me who is to blame for my shoe addiction.

Long gone were the boots of winter, instead Primark was full of summer sandals, flip flips and pumps. They had some lovely sandals but with summer still being a little way off I ended up buying something that I can wear now, and that will take me well into the warmer months, and hopefully beyond.

I love flat and comfy, skate type shoes, and lace ups, and I virtually live in one of my numerous pairs of Converse. These are more Vans like in appearance actually but I love the style and I since I'm loving mustard's at the moment, these were a must have. These were also £6

Over the last few months or so I've been trying to shop my stash a bit when it comes to jewellery. I've rediscovered so fab things that I'd forgotten about including some amazing, retro looking mustard beads, but you know me I can never resist a bargain, so it goes without saying that I ended up with a couple of new jewellery pieces. 

These fab earrings were reduced to just £1. I love, love, love green malachite, and whilst I'm not convinced that the stones in these earrings are real, it's really vibrant and works so well with the grey and white marble like stones, and the brown and red tone, wooden and stone beads.

When it comes to jewellery I don't know why but I often levitate towards brown and neutral toned pieces, I guess it's because they are so versatile and they go with so many pieces in my wardrobe. This particular necklace with a gold tone snake style chain is just perfect. Despite the chunkiness of the beads it's quite simple and unassuming, and I think that it would equally well worm casually with a t-shirt and jeans, as it would with a smart shirt and a blazer.

Finally beauty, and I always say it, Primark's beauty range just keeps getting better and better. Their own range now, is entirely cruelty free, and they had loads of fab new things in, including a Hello Kitty range, and some gorgeous new highlighters, but I stayed strong and I picked up a few staples including two bottles of their fab cuticle oil for just a £1 each, and some of their tea tea based face wipes that are just £1 for 2 packs of 25.

One of the things that I was surprised to see was the Alex Steinherr skincare range, I know that when it first came out it was only available in selected stores, but it looks as though it's rolling out into more stores which has to be a good thing. I wasn't that desperate for anything new skincare wise, so I only bought one thing, but if you have any recommendations, then please let me know so I can maybe pick up a few more things on my next visit. The one thing that I did get on this trip though, was the Alex Steinherr Pore Balance Blemish Rescue Stickers.

I'd tried something similar in the past from both Sarah Chapman , and from one of the more acne focused drugstore brands, maybe Oxy, Biore or Clearasil and I loved the concept. No mess and no fuss!

Basically you get 22 clear plastic circular stickers that are infused with both tea tree and salicylic acid, which are designed to help calm the redness and irritation of a spot. They are vegan, not tested on animals and fragrance free.

All you do after cleansing is apply one of the patches to each spot, and leave it on overnight or between 8 and 12 hours, before peeling it off. Obviously these would work out quite expensive if you had a lot of spots but if you like me you just get the odd one or two, angry hormonal ones at that time of the month then these are ideal.

I've only tried one up to now but it made a big difference, it stayed stuck to my chin all night and it seemed to bring the spot to a head so it looked less angry, and it seemed to fade more quickly. These were £3 for 22 stickers and I'm definitely going to be using these next time my skin decides to misbehave.

So that was my first Primark haul of 2019, I am aiming to buy less and wear more in 2019 so I don't think Primark trips are going to be too frequent this year but we'll see - it's impossible to go in without buying anything, and who knows what else this year has to offer. I have a nice repositioned mirror which is ideal for outfit selfies, and Mummy Lou is has been practising her photography skills, so I'm hoping to try and get a few more outfit posts and pictures up on both the blog and my Instagram this year, so make sure you're following on all fronts to see some of these bits and more on something other than a coat hanger x In the meantime if you have any questions on any of the items that I've bought then please let me know x

*I Have Worked With Intu Metrocentre Within The Last 12 Months

Primark Haul - Jewellery, Shoes, Clothes And Some Beauty Reviews

As I mentioned in my previous post June was a pretty rubbish for me health wise, in fact I can count the times that I left the house on one hand! One of the outings that I did make though was a big one and it was worth all of the pain and the exhaustion that it lead to. No I didn't run or marathon or go rock climbing, I just went to Newcastle with Mummy Lou.

Mummy Lou very rarely makes it in to Newcastle so it was a nice change for both of us, I had my brows tinted and waxed at Benefit and Debenhams, we went to Patisserie Valerie for afternoon tea, and on the way back home, I managed to have a little look into the Intu Metrocentre branch of Primark.

Because I'm in the process of losing weight at the moment, buying clothes isn't a huge priority for me, I'd rather loose a bit of weight and fit into the stuff that I already own then go out and spend money and things that might not fit in a month or so, that said though I did pick up a pair of trousers.

I'm going to be honest and say that these terracota coloured pants don't look like much on the hanger, but on the body they are so, so flattering and easy to wear.  They are basically a pair of slightly cropped wide culottes, with a paper bag style, tie waist. They are a just a pull on pant with an elasticated waist and I love them. I don't normally like tucking tops into my trousers or my skirts, but in this case I'm going to make an exception, I'm planning on wearing these with maybe a black vest or camisole tucked into them in order to show off the waist detailing. By doing that I'm probably drawing attention to the area of my body that I'm most self conscious about but sometimes you just need to do something that scares you. These trousers were just £10 and they also come in a navy blue, so even if I hate how they look and I don't think that I pull them off, I haven't really wasted a lot of money, nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say.

That was it for clothing but I did pick up a couple of pairs of shoes, including another pair of Primark's metallic faux Converse.

These are just a metallic silver, low top, lace up pump, with grey laces, and grey rubber detailing, they were only £8 and I think they are a good alternative to real Converse if you're on budget. I already have the metallic teal, turquoise pair, and I believe they also do them in metallic copper, bronze and in a few plain and patterned canvas designs

Converse and Converse a likes, are probably my go to shoes at the moment, I wear them with pretty much anything from leggings and jeans to jersey dress, they are a real all rounder shoe and I know that I'll be able to wear them all year round. The other pair of shoes that I got though are a little bit more summery.

I've seen just read something on Twitter that the temperature in Cyprus today hit 42 degrees, and what do I see outside of my window? Nothing but rain, rain and more rain, I know it been nicer down south but in my little corner of north east England, today's weather's been more akin to January rather than July! but I have to keep praying that weather will get better and I will at some point be able to wear my pretty new sandals.

I first saw this Valentino esq sandals on +suzyheartsbeauty  Instagram and I fell in love on sight. Primark's shoe game is red hot at the moment, and these sandals are just one example of their designer inspired designs. These particular ones come in a few different fabrics and finishes but I love these nude suede effect ones. They have a zip at the back and the straps are covered in a mix of square studs and faux pearls. These were just £10 which is pretty decent for a designer inspired look.

If you were to ask the average person on the street why they shop at Primark - probably the most common answer would probably be because of the price, and I think that's probably the reason I shop there. I'm one of those people who likes to get a lot for their money, and I love that I can buy a whole load of things for maybe the price of one, similar item, elsewhere. One of the reasons that I love Primark though is that it gives me the chance to try out different styles and different looks without spending a fortune, and without potentially wasting a fortune. I do buy a lot of clothes in Primark but I also buy a lot of their jewellery and accessory pieces. If you love an outfit but you want to switch it up a bit and give it a bit of a refresh, then just change your bag, or your shoes, or add a difference piece of jewellery, to update your look in an instant. I love high end jewellery pieces as much as the next person but I also have a huge collection of fashion jewellery pieces and budget buys, and Primark is one of my favourite places to pick up on trend, purse friendly jewellery pieces.

Pick up any fashion magazine at the moment, and I can pretty much guarantee that you will spot a long length necklace, they are everywhere at the moment, and predictably Primark is there to fulfil all of out long line necklace fantasies. As well as the length, this one also combines several more of these seasons key jewellery trends, tassels and discs or circles. This gold tone necklace was only £2.50 and I think it will look equally good worn over a vest or a floaty top in the summer, as it will with a roll neck or chunky jumper in the colder months.

Given the versatility of the long length necklace, it made sense to buy all of them, well okay not all of them but I couldn't resist this one which has a bit more of an ethnic / boho vibe.

This necklace was £3 and to be honest I would have paid way more for it. It's made up of gold tone filigree designs, and embossed discs, with lengths of gold tone, snake chain in between the discs. It's a lovely necklace and I really don't think that my photographs do either the detail or the length any justice.

Now something that I dabble with occasionally is Primark's beauty range, the cleansing wipes, cuticle oil, make up brushes and nail polish remover pots are staples in my beauty routine, and every now and then I'll maybe try a nail polish or a make up item. Primark's beauty range has gone from strength to strength, and you can now find on trend items such as contour sticks, strobing palettes and even Ms Jenner esq matte lip kits on their all be it, chaotic beauty stands. Despite that, you still don't see a lot of Primark items on beauty blogs, but at long last all of that seems to be changing, and there seems to be a bit of a buzz about some of their most recent releases.

Described by some reviewers as MAC inspired, the range is comprised of several different make up items, all with a hint of designer like, rubberised pastel pink packaging. I got a couple of bits just to see whether or not the hype was justified.

The first thing that I got was the PS...Eye Candy Eye Pigment in the shade Iced Gem which was £1.50.

From the outside this is the most MAC like item of all of the pieces, it's almost identical to a MAC pigment pot, in design, size and shape. Unscrew the lid though and your met with an internal cap to stop any accidental spills. I must admit it's been years since I last bought a MAC pigment, but none of the ones that I have, have anything like this, maybe MAC can learn something from Primark here, it's a great idea and I really do think that it will cut down and both wastage and spillage.

I must admit I wasn't expecting a lot from this product but I actually really like it, it's a lovely pinky, brown, nude shade that is packed full of sparkle. For just £1.50 the pigmentation is excellent, it's blendable and it's one of those colours that you could wear on it's own whether your just going to work or whether you're going out on the town.

Like most pigments you do get a bit of fall out, only in this case it's sparkly fall out, as long as you have some loose powder or a fan brush on standby though then you shouldn't have any real problems. For the price I think that this pigment is great value, the colour is perfect and a little goes a long way. I could only find this one colour, but if you've seen any more shades then please leave me a comment and let me know X

The final item that I bought was a lipstick from the same line, and keeping UP  with current beauty trends it's a matte shade, and it's one of the PS...Super Matte Lipsticks

In case the packaging isn't very MAC like, instead you have a pastel pink, rubberised, chunky, angular style tube.

These lipsticks come in several shades, and annoyingly Primark have done it again, and don't seem to have given any of these shades a name, the only way of identifying them is via the colour of the lips on the outer box that you can see in the second picture.

It actually looks slightly different in the tube but when it's swatched this one is in a warm bright pink shade.

It's has a pleasant fruity, taste, and as you can see the pigmentation is superb.

I love the colour but for me this is just a bit too matte. It drags ever so slightly on application, and once it's on the lips it just seems to suck every ounce of moisture out of them. It clings to and emphasises every lip line, and every dry patch. Understandably it wears incredibly well before gradually fading down and giving that not so attractive butt hole lip type look! If you love the matte lip look, or if you have perfect lips with no lines and no dryness, or if you love slapping on a that lip balm like it's going out fashion, then these may be worth trying. I really do love the colour, it's very me but unfortunately I just found the formula too drying.

You win some, you lose some I guess and least I didn't spend a fortune on it, I think I'll try layering it up with a bit of lip balm and a bit of gloss, to try and up the hydration a bit, never mind x I've filmed a little You Tube video to accompany this haul and I would love it if you could a little watch of it below or via this link, and pretty, please maybe subscribe to my channel as well x.



Have you bought anything nice in Primark or anywhere else for that matter? Let me know the comments and don't forget to let me know if you have any questions on any of the items in this post x

Small Clothing And Accessories Haul, And Lou On Personal Style

Hi Guys x I've had a few new followers lately so I'd just like to start off this post buying saying a big thank you x I really appreciate every single one of my followers and I really hope that you'll enjoy this little glimpse into my world x

A blog about a lot of things but if you like shopping and hauls, then this is the place to be x I love shopping and over the next few weeks I have several hauls coming for you including a high end beauty haul, a nail haul, and also a couple of more budget friendly beauty hauls but first of all I've got a little fashion and accessory haul to show you.

The first three items in this haul are all tops from QVC. I've spoken a little bit lately about my new found obsession with QVC's clothing and whilst some of you may sneer, I'm going to say it again, I'm a firm believer that you can find clothing gems anywhere. I'm never going to be the most fashionable or on trend person out there but I know what I like and I know what works for me, and something that's almost being a signature look for me is a bright, or a patterned top and a pair of jeggings, leggings or skinny jeans. It looks good, people remember me for it and if you pick the right items, you can feel comfortable and confident x

The first top comes from a Canadian company called Kim&Co. My mum is a fan of the brand and they're noted for their comfortable and easy care, stretchy dresses and separates. I actually already own a piece from the brand from many moons ago, a slinky ivory, cream dress covered in a pink, black and red ladybird print. I love it's quirkiness but since then I haven't seen much that I would personally buy - the range is generally a bit safe and bit too old fashioned for me but every now and then you do see something that makes you think again.

This top normally retails at £40 but it was on special offer on the day I ordered it. I love the floral design but it was the combination of navy blue and lime green that sold it to me. At first glance it looks like you're wearing two tops but it is actually just the one. It features a rose, print panel on the front and the back and the sleeves are in plain navy.

I talk more about the fabric content more in the video below but this super soft, slinky and stretchy, it is so, so comfortable and I love the tunic style length. Here I'm just wearing it with jeans and Converse but it's definitely something that you could dress up.  This top also comes in a black and a pink colour way and I have to say as tempted as I am to pick up that one up too, I think I'll wait and see if the price comes down x

The next two tops are from a QVC brand that I'm really loving at the moment, Wearable Art By Bob Mackie. I love his use of colours and prints x The first top that I got was this contrast sleeve, tile print tunic x

This was another one that was on special and although I originally wanted this top in the blue, it had sold out so I ended up getting it in the brown with the black sleeves. I love the Moroccan style print, that's featured on both the back and the front of the top and the browns, yellows and oranges are really autumnal and perfect for this season. I'm a huge fan of tan and brown accessories and I think that this will work really well with say a tan bag or brown boots.

The final QVC item that I got was another top from the Wearable Art By Bob Mackie range and this time, this one was from the clearance section. This 3/4 sleeve top, is all about the colour and the bright eye catching print

It features a stripe, and almost floral and leaf design in bright,but distressed neon shades of pale blue and green. All the designs and stripes are outlined in black which gives a real stand out look x I would have maybe have liked this to be a little bit longer but since it was less than £15 I can't really complain x

The only other clothing item in this haul came from H&M and it was a sale item, that again embraces my love for colour and print.

Although I remember wearing printed trousers when I was younger I was slow to embrace them this time round x I just didn't feel confident enough but all of a sudden the confidence just clicked and lately I've wanted all the patterned trousers that I could get my hands on. I've mainly been sticking to floral prints but these ones are a bit different - on an ivory, beige background these ones features a bright tropical leaf and flower design, scattered through with illustrations of leopards and tropical birds. These trousers aren't for the faint hearted and although I don't think I'll get any wear out of them this year, for £6 they will be a fab purchase for next summer.

Now accessories and first up something that you might have caught a sneaky peek of in my YSL -Style Is Eternal Vlog x

Although I didn't buy it at the time I thought that this sheep scarf was really cute, so I had a look on ebay and found an identical one at a slightly cheaper price. It comes in few shades and what you can't really see here is how big this actually is. This one was £4.49 from this seller x

I used to be very much a scarf person, and although I don't wear them anywhere near as often as I did I still love them and I can never resits adding a new print or pattern to my collection. As well as picking up a gorgeous blue and white floral one for Mummy Lou in the recent Next sale I also got this one for myself.

I can't really describe the print it looks almost like florals, plates or panels, but again I love the blues and the coral shades.

I think that this was about £5 or £6. I didn't buy a lot in the Next sale this time round just this scarf, some blue and white floral PJ's, some underwear and a few pieces of fashion jewellery including this necklace x

One of the fashion guests on QVC regular wear a similar necklace in either a silver or a gold tone and I loved it. This one isn't the same as either of hers but it's as close as I can find in style at the moment. I have a few mesh pieces from H&M  already and I think that this will work really nicely. I love the combination of both the gunmetal and the silver tone metals and I love the length.

The final item in this haul is another necklace from the Next sale and it's another long one. Unfortunately I've managed to delete the main picture from my camera but this necklace is from the brand Adorning Ava, and it's a long line, gold tone chain which features a diamond shaped filigree pendant with long lines of gold chain hanging from it. It definitely has an Asian feel to it and the super long length means that you could either wear it as a statement piece or even as a layering piece with some shorter chains.

So that was my small but very long winded clothing and accessories haul x I've made a little video to accompany this haul which you can see here x If you're on a mobile device don't worry you can find the video here x



Thanks for watching and reading, and if you have any questions please leave me a comment I love reading what you have to say x