The #PowerofMakeup Half Face Challenge!

The #PowerofMakeup Half Face Challenge!

Tuesday, 30 June 2015

20 comments

Now I'm not trying to make a statement about body image or anything by doing this, (I very much live in a personal each to their own and do what you want world) but seeing all these #PowerofMakeup half face selfies and blog posts flying around lately just made me think more about how much make-up I actually put on in order to look like 'me'? Turns out that it's A LOT, though tbh that huge pink metal case of the stuff sat in the bathroom kind of gave that away already. Spoilsport. So here I am in full on Two Face mode, basically because I like it it and it's fun to do (like saying, and drinking, peppermint SCHNAPPS)! By the way I chose this bold lip for drama purposes. It's not my usual daily look but I do love a red pout on a night out so hey ho, this works for me.

I don't HATE my barefaced side by any means, she is the girl that my fiance goes to bed with and wakes up to every day after all, but when popped side by side like this it does show how much I seek to hide what I see as my flaws; my stubby nose and my almost Travolta-like masculine chin and jawline. I spend a lot of time contouring and colouring in these parts to make them less visible to the world, to the point where I kind of forget I feel this way about them now. Reducing them is just part of my daily routine, and that's fine by me because it makes looking in the mirror a less scowlsome experience - hurrah!

So which side do I prefer after inspection? The make-up side, no doubt. Like most chicks who've done this sort of thing, I'm not ashamed of my neked face and have popped to the shop in less make-up (note I say LESS, not NO make-up, that would be insane) than this without fear of being followed by a woman with a bell repeating 'SHAME', but the made up me is weirdly more ME than that barefaced stunner with the Clooney chin in the first pic. I'm mid thirties now, and have been wearing full faced makeup since I was 13, meaning that I've been the made up me for more than half of my life. Some people might say that that's a sad sorry story of a lost childhood, blah blah blah, but I disagree. I did all the tree climbing and BMX riding thanks very much, plenty of facial freedom had there trust me. My made up face and I have gone through some good and bad times together, made life changing discoveries about ourselves, and grown into a confident woman who has her shit together. Make-up is the frosting on top of your own awesome, and I know which side I'm on. My own :)

And in case you're interested, the full face rundown - brace yourselves!

• MAC Pro Longwear Foundation
• MAC Pro Longwear Concealer
• Maybelline Mastersculpt in Light/Medium
• MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder
• Illamasqua Blusher in SOPHIE
• Maybelline The Falsies Black Drama Mascara
• MAC Veluxe Pearl Fusion Peachluxe Eyeshadow palette
• Avon Anew Beauty Smoothing Eyeliner Pencil in Black
• Illamasqua Precision Brow in Stare
• Lord & Berry 20100 Shiny Lip Pencil in Scarlet

J - I'll take half.

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Bridal Inspiration: Wedding Lingerie at M&S!

Bridal Inspiration: Wedding Lingerie at M&S!

Monday, 29 June 2015

12 comments

Planning a wedding requires a lot of thought, time and serious organisational skills. The fun bit is sorting out all the little details such as the table decor, flowers and of course - the clothes! My dress is already sorted (I adore it, it's the perfect boho gown) and I've started to think about accessories and lingerie. I'm still working on finding the perfect leather jacket to pair with my dress for those fun, outdoor shots (new leather = a must) and the shoes I want are £££, so I'm rethinking that purchase... I've also started thinking about my wedding lingerie, there will be a lot of it so I want to tick off each phase of lingerie/nightwear, one by one!

Marks and Spencer recently launched a new bridal lingerie range. They have a wide selection of luxurious nightwear and underwear which has been broken down into categories for each occasion... Making life easier for us brides-to-be. The Rosie for Autograph range is my favourite, so many of these pieces are perfect for a honeymoon! We haven't decided on our honeymoon destination quite yet, but this pure silk lace long nightdress will certainly be coming with us, wherever we end up.

Rosie for Autograph Nightdress: c/o M&S

I'm wearing the size 8, which falls beautifully. As it's made from pure silk, it feels wonderful against my skin. It was £89 but recently went in the sale and was reduced to just £60. I definitely think this is a small price to pay for something so luxurious and special. I only plan to get married once and love the thought of swanning around our hotel room in this. Now I just need to work on finding the slightly saucier pieces! A-hem.

The lovely team at M&S also sent me a gorgeous seasonal bouquet of flowers to say congratulations on my engagement! This was such a kind gesture and just staring at them puts a smile on my face. The mixture of colours is perfect, the kind of colour combination I want in my bridal bouquet (but perhaps slightly muted).

M&S Bouquet of the Season: c/o

I know I keep going on about it, but I'm definitely going to sort out our wedding caterers this month - it's probably the one aspect of our wedding I'm stressed about! I think everything will fall into place after the food is sorted, then I can enjoy planning the little things!

Do you enjoy reading these bridal inspiration posts? What kind of wedding lingerie would you like?

T - Excitable bride-to-be.

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The Dressing Room Summer Sale Preview!

The Dressing Room Summer Sale Preview!

Friday, 26 June 2015

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It's summertime sale time! The summer sales are in full swing and I've been doing my best to avoid them... until now. That's because Rawr girl faves The Dressing Room, are going into sale tomorrow and last week, they sent me a cheeky preview of what will be on offer!

I love The Dressing Room sales, they stock such a wide range of my favourite designers and they always offer great discounts! I was sent 3 sale items to style for a special blogger preview post, I didn't pick them but the girls always know what I like and as always, they got it so right. First up is this cat blouse by Paul and Joe Sister:

So this Paul and Joe Sister Gattini Blouse in Indigo is pretty darn epic and I can totally imagine Jade wearing it! I'm wearing the size small, the fit is relaxed and has a 70's, boho feel to it. It's really well made but the key selling point is the print...I didn't even notice the cats' faces at first. WAH. Could it be any cuter? It was £135 but will be £94 in the sale.

The second item I received was this lovely wide lace tank from Rosemunde! Rosemunde is one of my favourite Danish brands, they make such great basics and this tank feels wonderful on. I'm wearing the size small which looks TEENY when it arrives but it has a lot of stetch in it. They come in several colours but I'm wearing the vivid fuchsia which is perfect for summer. This lace vests are usually £53, but it's been reduced to £37. Bargain. 

The final item from the sale preview is this delightful Becksondergaard O-Birdy scarf! I have a cupboard full of their scarves but I don't have any that are handprinted. This one is truly special. The print is quite hard to see but it's made up of adorable birds and the colour combination is spot on. Becksondergaard's scarves last for YEARS so it was a great investment piece at £75 and an even better buy at the sale price of £45. The aqua colour looks great against the hot pink, wouldn't you agree?

The Dressing Room sale launches online and in store tomorrow, Saturday 27th June at 9.30am, with up to 50% off! This will be their best sale ever because they've added tons of new brands. If that's not exciting enough, you can use the code 'SALE10' in store and online until 1pm on 27th June for an extra 10% off the sale prices! Although I'm currently at Glastonbury, I'll be having a quick look myself because I can't wait to see what else is on offer.

I had to send all of these pieces back but I can't stop thinking about the Paul & Joe Sister blouse... I think I might have to go for it although I want to check out their full range of sale before I commit. You'll be able to shop the sale by clicking HERE, from tomorrow!

Will you be shopping The Dressing Room sale tomorrow? Which item is your favourite?

T - Blogging from Worthy Farm!

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Lyle & Scott at Mainline Menswear + #WIN a trip to Scotland!

Lyle & Scott at Mainline Menswear + #WIN a trip to Scotland!

Thursday, 25 June 2015

7 comments

Sam is back! This time he's styling a new sweatshirt from Lyle and Scott at Mainline Menswear. Sam's a big sweater man, he doesn't like wearing jackets so sweatshirts are his outerwear. Lyle and Scott have some pretty awesome pieces in at the moment but Sam was drawn to this heavy marl sweatshirt in purple. I don't think the picture on the website does it justice, it's such a nice summery shade!

He's wearing the size medium which he'd say runs pretty true to size. Sam has a pretty casual everyday style, so paired his sweatshirt with some navy chino shorts and trusty Vans. I think the purple and navy work really well together!

Sweatshirt: Lyle and Scott (c/o) Mainline Menswear - Shorts: Fat Face - Trainers: Vans

Mainline Menswear are currently running a competition to win 2 tickets to The Open Golf Championship in Scotland! There are 2 runners up prizes of Lyle and Scott vouchers, so if you the man in your life needs some new season L&S in his wardrobe, make sure you enter! 

Simply watch the (super) short video above to find out more information. What do you think of Sam's latest outfit post? Will you be entering the competition?

T & S. 

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Do you Love Your Clothes? #FashionSalvage

Do you Love Your Clothes? #FashionSalvage

Wednesday, 24 June 2015

13 comments

Last week I was invited to the Love Your Clothes 'Fashion Salvage' event held at the Bristol Textile Recyclers' warehouse. I didn't really know what to expect but I had such a fun evening! BTR is the only textile recycler in the south west, they work with schools and charity shops to help recycle clothing and other items.

When the donations come into the BTR factory, the second hand items are sorted into different categories and the reusable pieces are resold. Everything is either recycled or reused, there is zero waste. Apparently they even have one regular customer who purchases all the incredible pieces and resells them on Portobello Road! Many of the second hand textiles are exported abroad which creates trade and commerce, and also provides affordable clothing to underprivileged areas.

Upon arrival we were treated to food and drink and given some more information about the event and the Love Your Clothes campaign. The campaign was created to provide information on how you can care for your clothes including tips on how to repair them, make the most of them by upcycling, and disposing of them to retain their value.

 Some VERY interesting facts for you: 

• The average UK household owns approx £4,000 worth of clothes but around 30% haven't been worn for a year!

• The clothing industry represents the fourth-biggest environmental footprint of any UK industry (after transport, utilities and food). 

• Clothing represents 5% of the carbon footprint of all UK goods and services - roughly 1.5 tonnes of carbon emissions per household each year... The equivalent of jumping in a car and driving 6000 miles from the UK to Mumbai in India! There are roughly 25 million households in the UK, so that’s 25 million trips to Mumbai.

• The waste footprint of clothing is 70kg per household each year. This is the equivalent weight of 100 pairs of jeans per year – again, multiplied by 25 million households.

After the introduction, we were challenged to create an outfit and allowed to sift through the clothing bins for nearly 2 hours (while dodging the cameras from the Made in Bristol channel)! I had so much fun rummaging through all the second hand clothing and found some lovely pieces including an awesome hat (shocker) which I'm sure I'll feature on here soon.

Extending the average life of clothes is the single biggest action we can take to reduce the impact of clothing. Extending active use by just three months would lead to a 5-10% reduction in each of the carbon, water and waste footprints. 

I think this event was a real eye opener for me, I always resell or donate my clothing to charity but in the future I will certainly buy less, and choose more wisely. I won't buy things I don't need. 

***We all need to remember the 3 R's! Reduce (buy less), Reuse (extend your clothing's lifespan) and Recycle (use your old clothing as cleaning rags etc).***

Do you believe in sustainable fashion? Were you surprised by any of these facts?

T - Planning a swap party with my friends!

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Shoetique Review: Clarks Susie Deva Sandals!

Shoetique Review: Clarks Susie Deva Sandals!

Tuesday, 23 June 2015

18 comments

I love block heel sandals. I own several pairs but because I wear them almost every day, I'm always buying more to replace the old ones. I think my latest pair from Shoetique could be my favourite and to be honest, I didn't even realise Clarks had so many stylish sandals!

Dress: MINKPINK - Jacket: Banana Republic - Clarks Sandals: c/o Shoetique - Bracelet: Swarovski

I bought this MinkPink animal print dress from a sample sale in London a few months ago when I was hanging out with Steph, it has such a comfortable fit and was an absolute bargain at only £20! I really like how it looks with my leather jacket from Banana Republic and these epic Clarks Susie Deva sandals. 

I ordered the sandals in my normal size and was really impressed with the quality! They did come with little scratches but I think it adds to the look, natural leather does have imperfections and it gives them more character. They are definitely the best block sandals I own and now I feel like I need the other colour... WAH. So much for a spending ban.

Do you ever go to sample sales? Are you a Clarks shopper?

T - Shoe love is true love.

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Lashes of London Holograph Skirt at Spoiled Brat!

Lashes of London Holograph Skirt at Spoiled Brat!

Monday, 22 June 2015

18 comments

This skirt is magical! It makes me think of unicorns and rainbows. I don't own many midi skirts because I'm never convinced they look right on me, but I'm so glad I took the plunge and just went for this Lashes of London Spectrum midi skirt. I genuinely couldn't love it any more. Spoiled Brat have an incredible range this season, their buyers just nail it every time!

Crop: ASOS - Skirt: Lashes of London c/o Spoiled Brat - Mi Moneda Coin (c/o) - Fedora: Miss Selfridge - Shoes: Next

I'm wearing the size 8 which fits like a dream. It's really lightweight and catches the light beautifully - these pictures don't do it justice! My sparkly new deluxe lavender Mi Moneda coin is from their latest summer collection, it's simple but strangely mesmerising, wouldn't you agree?

The weather was really strange at the weekend, it was quite humid and changeable so I ended up taking these photos in the rain but hey ho, the show must go on!

Do you wear midi skirts? Are you also attracted to all things sparkly?

T - Feeling futuristic.

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Flamingo Candles - The Melt Crowd June Box!

Flamingo Candles - The Melt Crowd June Box!

Sunday, 21 June 2015

8 comments

Candles are a staple in my home, I can't walk through the door without lighting one up! Flamingo Candles are defo one of my preferred brands, so I was excited to hear that they have started up a monthly subscription box - The Melt Crowd! 8 surprise scents in melt form sent to you every month for just £10, with the first box including your burner and an exclusive 20% off Flamingo Candles discount code! The contents plus packaging would normally retail for £18.95 so it's definitely good value. This is how it looks, love the packaging!



In June's box is a gorgeous variety of yumminess, full of summer scents to kick off the season!

• Pina Colada
• Mango & Dragonfruit
• Tropical Coconut Milk & Honey
• Freshly Mown Grass (The Melt Crowd Exclusive)
• Daisy
• Sweet Lime & Cedar
• Juicy Clementine (The Melt Crowd Exclusive)
• Thai Lime & Mango

And how is the quality? Fabulous Flamingo as per! Each melt last for approx. 30 hours, and you are getting a good scent throw from about 2 minutes on the tealight. I have Mango & Dragonfruit on as I type and it's like sitting in a packet of Starburst - fruitilicious!

I'm hooked and definitely signing up (this box was supplied for review purposes). I spend at least £10-£20 on candles and votives every month, and this way I get to try scents I might not normally choose which keeps it fresh and fun.

The Melt Crowd is open to international subscribers, you can cancel at any time, and there's no need to sit in waiting for delivery as the box fits through the letterbox (with the exception of the first one with the burner obviously!). A subscription would also make the perfect (and economical for you!) gift for any candle lover - hurrah!

J - Melting

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Father's Day With Mainline Menswear!

Father's Day With Mainline Menswear!

Saturday, 20 June 2015

2 comments

It's hard to escape the fact that it's Father's Day tomorrow, and although I've already bought my daddy a new pair of trainers (he's been wearing the same old faithfuls since I was in uni!), I was so stoked to receive this sweet poppa bear care package from Mainline Menswear, featuring the obligatory socks, an amazing Emporio Armani tshirt, Bluebeards Revenge shaving products, a pint glass (to make his tea more masculine) and a pack of Smints for his dad breath haha! 

I thought it was a very sweet thought from one of our fave menswear stores to work with (the Rawrboys get very excited when a Mainline email drops into the inbox!). 

What have you got your dad, or are you treating him to a meal out? My dad always claims he doesn't know that it's Father's Day every year, though I don't believe him, I think he just says that to make me think I'm surprising him as if I'm still 5! 

J - Happy Father's Day dads!

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Oasis V&A Spitalfields Shift Dress #MyLifeInPrint

Oasis V&A Spitalfields Shift Dress #MyLifeInPrint

Thursday, 18 June 2015

24 comments

I've been meaning to feature this dress for a little while now as it was an incredible gift from some friends! I love this Oasis V&A collaboration, just in case if you haven't heard about it, Oasis have used some of the historic prints from the Victoria & Albert museum's archives to create a capsule collection.

My favourite piece from the collection is this Spitalfields shift dress! The Spitalfields print was designed around 1730 by acclaimed silk designer, Anna Maria Garthwaite. She lived in Spitalfields and became one of the leading pattern drawers in the English silk industry!

Dress: Oasis - Hat: Accessorize - Shoes: New Look - Watch: Olivia Burton

This dress has a wonderful fit! It reminds me of Mary Katrantzou but with a teeny tiny price tag. The entire range is lovely, Oasis always have incredible prints but they've never been this good. I rather fancy getting my paws on one of the blazers!

In other news, I've been doing a little more wedding planning recently! We've booked our Notice of Marriage appointment and Sam has even bought his wedding shoes (EPIC, shiny burgundy brogues). We just need to sort out our caterers and decide on a videographer! If you have any wedding videography recommendations, please let me know.

Do you have a favourite high street store? Would you wear this dress?

T - Wearing a piece of British history.

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Silvian Heach at Spoiled Brat!

Silvian Heach at Spoiled Brat!

Wednesday, 17 June 2015

4 comments

Sound the new summer dress klaxon! Silvian Heach is one of the newer brands at Spoiled Brat, hailing from Italy and I have acquired the Berniece Monochrome Lace Smock Dress (£74), basically, it rocks. 

Outfit : Dress - Silvian Heach c/o Spoiled Brat, Jacket - Levis, Boots - Warehouse, Bag - 1951 Maison Francaise at The Dressing Room, Sunglasses - Carrera c/o Sunglasses Shop, Necklaces - Mi Moneda and Beaverbrooks, Watch - Daniel Wellington.

The material is a heavy, silky viscose with lace inserts, so I'm wearing a black shapewear slip underneath to protect my modesty, but you'd never know because the white material is such good quality. This is a size Large and it probably is a little loose, but this is how I like these smock dresses to be honest so yey!

I love how it looks with these boots and the bag, which are fast becoming a staple combo in my wardrobe! This relaxed boho style is definitely my summer look of choice this year so I know I'm going to wear the shizz out of this thing!

What do you think, are you a floaty dress kinda girl? Spoiled Brat has recently had a makeover so go check it out along with the rest of the Silvian Heach line!

J - boho brat

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Glamorous and Johnny Loves Rosie

Glamorous and Johnny Loves Rosie

Tuesday, 16 June 2015

16 comments

Say hello to my first ever pair of culottes! I've probably been looking for the right pair for the best part of a year, but finally ended up with these awesome sand satin culottes from Glamorous. I'm a bit of an odd shape, I have a booty but a small natural waist so although these size 8's do fit, I could do with taking them in a teeny bit. I decided to pair them with an ASOS crop top, leopard block heel sandals from Oasis and some beautiful bling!

Johnny Loves Rosie is a super cool British brand both Jade & I have been wearing for years. They sell all kinds of wonderful girly accessories, including a pretty epic range of jewellery and sparkly hair accessories. A few of their stockists include House of Fraser, Fenwicks and ASOS.

Crop: ASOS - Culottes: Glamorous (c/o) - Sandals: Oasis - Hat: H&M - Bracelets: Tokyo Jane - Necklace & ring: Johnny Loves Rosie (c/o)

A little while ago, the lovely team at JLR sent me a few of my favourite pieces to style. I opted for the statement Jasmin teal & pink necklace and the Erin Elizabeth Aideen ring (which I haven't taken off since its arrival). I wear this beauty to work every day and just looking at it makes me smile. It was made for a magpie like me.

It's worth mentioning that Johnny Loves Rosie even have a range of Bridal accessories, you might want to hit them up if you're attending a wedding this year... before everything sells out! If you end up placing an order online (and why wouldn't you? The range is rawrsome), use code 'JLR20' at the checkout for 20% off!

Do you own any culottes? Which is your favourite piece from the Johnny Loves Rosie collection?

T - Loves shopping for accessories.

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Carrerra Sunglasses at Sunglasses Shop!

Carrerra Sunglasses at Sunglasses Shop!

Monday, 15 June 2015

2 comments

I've wanted a pair of Carrera sunglasses for ages, mainly because I've seen Gwen Stefani rock them for years and she is the queen, but also because they're just so darn cool looking! Their Champion aviators are iconic and have been seen on Al Pacino in Scarface, Robert De Niro in Casino, Lady Gaga in the Bad Romance video and Rihanna in the Rude Boy video - WHEW! 

With such a steady flow of amazeballsness behind them, Carrera are relaunching this year with a more sophisticated image and a new tagline to match - 'Out There', redesigning their classic Champion and Panamerika styles for a more stylish and streamlined look. Camo print and interchangeable mirrored lenses are also new to the brand, bringing a modern and edgy twist to their classic racing heritage and no doubt attracting a whole new generation of Carrera fans.

So I'm now extremely proud to present my new Carrera Champion sunglasses (£86 from Sunglasses Shop), aren't they just fab? I honestly feel like a rockstar in them, it's so hard not to pout and hide from the paps that aren't following me tbh.

Sunglasses c/o Sunglasses Shop

They're SO comfortable and light on my face despite being quite large framed, and don't pinch at all. I can see why Gwen consistently updates her collection each season! This Light Havana colourway is perfect for accessorising a boho or seventies outfit, but they also come in black and silver for a modern, smarter look.

Do you like? I very rarely find a pair of sunnies that I want to wear (being a childhood specs wearer I tend to avoid any sort of glasses wearing as an adult, crazy I know!) but I just couldn't resist the offer of adding Carrera's to my wardrobe because the styling is totally on point! I'm looking forward to seeing how the relaunch goes this year with the new styles dropping, I can't wait to see who picks them up!

Check out the full line of Carrera sunglasses at Sunglasses Shop :)

J - If I was a rich girl . . .

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