My Rushed Outfit!

So I had my first outing the other night post baby and had only 20 minutes to look half decent! Planned the outfit whilst feeding so threw on leggings, tunic, cropped leather jacket and boots combo but the make-up needed a little more work. Having had just pressed powder on in the day, I used my Bare Minerals over the top (no time to strip and start from scratch) and it worked a treat! Neutral eyes and then I used my Chanel lip liner as wanted a bit more colour on the face, but felt my lippy was too bright for the occasion (a school mum had invited me to a little village fashion show to raise funds for the pre-school). Not sure where the brain wave came from (very infrequent these days!) but I put some lippy on my hand then next to it some Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream and used the lip brush on the end of the liner to mix and brush on my lips. It was subtle, glossy, not sticky and stayed put! Horrah for actually using the lip brush supplied with the liner (my Mum will be so proud!). There was also enough left on the brush for school run the next morning! A touch of my favourite Laura Mercier hand cream - no need for an over powering perfume for such an event and I was good to go. You really do get what you pay for, that hand cream just lingers, even after a hand wash. I just love it!

I have just purchased some of Marks & Spencers no VPL pants - lush! Brazilian cut are my favourite, more than a thong, less than a pant! Off to buy some more, at 3 for £10 they are not at all bad price wise. I fully recommend.

Tunic and grey top (just seen underneath) both H&M, Leggings - Topshop, Boots - Dune, Jacket - Miss Selfridge, Bag - Balenciaga

Maternity Jeans

Well I had resigned myself to thinking that for the last 8 weeks of my pregnancy I was going to have to continue with the leggings and tunic combo, then be done with leggings for a good few months after the birth just out of sheer boredom! But then low and behold I stumble across Dorothy Perkins maternity wear, with 30% off and bagged a pair of black skinnies for £21! Wow! What a difference a change of scenery makes to your bottom half! Grabbed a very long vest & fairly long jumper that has some stretch in it and I feel like a new woman! I am very pleased with them, they are so comfortable, provide a bit more warmth than leggings and opened up my wardrobe, happy Mummy = happy baby! Who would have thought it, after all the shop's I've tried, Dorothy Perkins have made a great, affordable, well fitted pair of maternity jeans, thank you so much Dotty P's! Click on the blue Dorothy Perkins to see the pair I bought.

Happy Christmas and Sale (!) shopping everyone!

PS Still so pleased with my Bare Essentuals make-up. Used the primer sample when I went out the other day and considering investing in this also.

Trying something new!

So I made my trip the the Bare Minerals counter last month and been slack to update you all as didn't purchase it the same day. I like to try these things first! A primer was applied to start (never used before, I thought moisturiser was enough!), this felt lovely and a small sachet is supplied in the start up set to give it a go. So the application was a little different to my normal powder puff, it involved a large (supplied in the pack) brush being swirled over my face in circular motions. The assistant did one side of my face then let me have a go on the other side - I managed to match it up no problems! I left the shades down to her, I was the 'light' pack. There are 2 shades in there for Summer & Winter which I found handy as (sunshine dependent obviously) skin colour does change slightly through the year. The concealer powder was then used (again with a brush supplied) to cover any blemish's, I had a go and it was so easy. Lastly a 'veil' was applied, a subtle bronzer over the face. Apart from a few tweaks (my eyebrows had been swept around far too much...!) I looked like me, thank goodness (!) just a little better! I left it on for the duration of the day. I didn't feel 'caked' in the make-up, nor did I feel it was a look unachievable on my own. I liked the idea I could use in the day as well as build it up to give a slightly heavier coverage at night time. It also has SPF in it - a very important must and a DVD to remind me again at home. The one thing I was surprised about was how much was actually on my face when I removed it. I honestly didn't think much was on my face - it's just powder after all! But removing it covered all my cotton pads. Not sure I would feel 100% happy sleeping in it as advised you can do, but worth knowing I guess for a very late night!

So at £48 for the starter set, I decided to give it a go. Now on maternity leave and a strict budget, I shopped around for the best deal and just this morning, instead of paying £48, have paid £36.72 including delivery - BARGAIN! Thank you FeelUnique for your one day promotion of an additional 10% off, the waiting paid off!

Please feel free to ask me anything I may have missed, I think it's so important for us ladies to share our opinions.

PS you also get Nectar points at FeelUnique - double bonus!

Mary's Golden Rules

I don't normally do this sort of post on my blog, but thought this article was well worth a read. Simple and to the point, I love what Mary has to say. Starts with one of my all time must's when shopping; "Buy quality fabrics" and ends with "don't buy crap" - something we are all guilty of doing. After seeing something I like, I always feel to see what I think it's made from then check the label. 100% acrylic = no way! The word even has 'cry' in it, which it what I do when it lasts one wash before bobbling!



(Copy and paste below link into browser, won't allow me to link I'm afraid. But also pasted the article below)
http://www.emeraldstreet.com/fashion/article/422/mary-portas-guide-to-style

Mary Portas' GUIDE TO STYLE

Mary Portas is the avenging angel of the British consumer, so we asked her to help us out with some of the most common shopping problems


WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING CLOTHES OR ACCESSORIES?
“Buy quality fabrics with a great cut. I’m not talking designer prices – select the right bits of premium high street. For my new footwear collection I worked with Clarks because they are absolutely the best shoemakers I know. They are the experts in crafting quality, comfortable shoes at a decent price – I just added a bit of fashion edge. I don’t think anybody should have to compromise on comfort or style.”

WHEN SHOULD YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT SERVICE?
“As a nation we’re not very good at complaining. Fast fashion has really killed off personal service in our shops and we’ve all just got used to it. I hate walking into a high-street store and seeing all of the staff shuffling about and stacking shelves – what’s wrong with a smile and a ‘Good morning’? I think the only way to combat this, as a shopper, is to make your voice heard.”

ARE THE SIZES ON THE LABEL ALWAYS THE BEST GUIDE?
“It’s a question as old as the business itself and one I don’t think retailers will ever get right. Honestly – just get in the fitting room and try it on. Take in two or three sizes and don’t get hung up on a number. It’s the reflection in the mirror that counts, not the size on the label.”

WHAT FORM WOULD YOUR IDEAL SHOP TAKE?
“I’ve tried to create my ideal shop for women. When I turned 50, I remember really noticing that the high street was completely obsessed with youth. Women of my generation still want modern, cool, contemporary fashion – but there wasn’t anywhere that said ‘this is your spiritual home’. So I went to House of Fraser and created my own.”

HOW DO YOU BUY YOUR CLOTHES?
“I remember buying clothes for my 43rd birthday – I was trying on ‘boho gear’ in a famous store and basically looked like a drowned lampshade. Since then, I’ve had five codes seared into my brain and I use these every time I shop to avoid the dreaded mutton moment: avoid dressing like a teenager, edit your trends, work with your proportions, keep it low maintenance and don’t buy crap.”



Off to John Lewis this week to get my make-up done at the Bare Minerals counter, will report back asap!

PS 20% off New Look voucher in their free mini mag, I managed to get one in my Look magazine also!<

Re-working the wardrobe

So instead of opening it and sighing at all the clothes I can't currently wear in my pregnancy (skinny jeans and tons of tops girl me!), I have decided to move out what is completely unwearable for now. Leaving me with, well a fraction of my wardrobe. Some thought needs to go into this!

Tunics and leggings have been my staple so far. Having not invested in maternity jeans just yet (I am 25 wks), I have relied upon what I have so far. With some new jeans on the horizon, I am keeping in some comfy flowing long tops to go with them as well as my cardy's as I love to layer. I am doing a little swap with the other wardrobe (coats/joggers/party dresses, general not every day wear) and bringing in the coats! Have decided that whilst my arms aren't growing larger (yet...), I am going to change my look with some blazers, gilets and coats. They don't need to be done up over the bump do they! I have some cute leather gilets I can throw over my tunics to add a little something else, I just need to be a bit more playful with what I have! Who cares if I get it wrong now - I am pregnant - hormones a plenty, am going with that excuse! Summer vest tops on shelf being swapped with scarves - they are currently stuck in a box (a pretty one though!) and need to be used more to change my look.

I did go and purchase a lovely pink lippy from Chanel, a little bit of cheerful luxury in my pocket brightens my day! Used my points from Boots to also purchase the matching lip liner, love how a small but luxurious purchase can change the way you feel. Was well worth hanging on to my birthday vouchers for 9 months to use when I needed a pick me up. Bought the new Rouge Allure Velvet in L'Exuberante.

Haven't managed to get to the Bare Minerals counter yet, that was my October challenge so still some time to sort out my base make-up!

Shopping list item - some maternity tights so I can wear a dress instead of leggings and a tunic!

Holiday Lessons Learnt

Who else loves the feeling of returning from holiday refreshed and ready to start again?

Having recently had 8 days of beautiful sunshine abroad with my family and friends I have vowed to get back to my blogging and continue to share my style tips old and new with you all. Writing this on the plane journey home as the family catch up on some sleep, I am also entering another chapter in my fashionable (!) life as I am expecting my 2nd child. With 1 to run around after already, I feel my wardrobe this time will be very different (think 25wks pregnant tottering around in heels and you'll get the gist!)

So there's my little life update, back to my holiday lessons! To save her blushing, I will refer to my friend who joined us on holiday as Madame Glam (sorry hun!). Ok so Madame Glam already has a slightly unfair advantage in the style stakes, she's a trained hairdresser and boy does that make a difference. However, her lack of worry about a stray eyebrow hair (unlike myself) and focus on a natural glamour is something I needed reminding of.

Lesson 1; buy a decent sun hat that fits please Glamrosie, not an age old H&M one that is faded and 'does the job'. Madame Glam strolls to the pool in a beautiful Debenhams hat that not only looks damn fab but shock horror, protects her from the sun too! Lazy moi so neglected that side of the poolside glamour.

Lesson 2; continue with practising the 'messy bun look' Madame Glam has taught me to buy some hair clips other than brown kirby grips. I have been really lazy with my bonnet of late. GHD's are my life saver but I have become very boring with them. Too hot to use them abroad, Madame Glam loosely pulled my hair on top of my head whilst I tipped it upside down, put a hair band round as though doing a pony tail, but didn't pull all the way through on the last go. So left with a kind of top knot, wrapped the ends of the hair around the band and secured with grips. Then used some of her pearl grips to pin down some stray hairs and shape into a messy bun.

Lesson 3; costume jewellery-wear what you've purchased Glamrosie, it's not just to look nice on the jewellery hanger. Madame Glam was not without some dainty pearl drop earring's even on the flight! For fear of cheapening my look, I've been more classic of late and played it safe with diamond studs and an old family bangle. But Madame Glam was a regular jewellery 'accessoriser' on holiday. A collection of bangles here, a flower hair grip there. She looked refreshingly fun in her evening outfits. Goodness I'm lazy!

Its nice to pick up new ideas from friends, sometimes its easier than reading them in a magazine. So thank you Madame Glam for jogging my memory and reminding me that it takes more than the clothes on your back to create an overall look.

Recently purchased items; Toppers tunic dresses attached - I will mainly be wearing leggings, leggings oh and leggings! But I have a Hen party coming up and can't wait to wear this bright and colourfully bold dress! Stripes - personally can do no wrong for me!

Shopping list item: Bare Minerals - not heard anything but praise for this brand. So am booking in at my local John Lewis for a trial and consultation. Whilst my wardrobe can not be majorly invested in in the next 4-5 months, I'm targeting other areas!