The Style Rawr: August 2015

bank holiday · Flamingo Candles · Listography · relaxing · sheepskin slippers · Tommy Tou

Relaxing On Bank Holiday Monday With Tommy Tou Sheepskin Slippers!

Monday 31 August 2015

I know a lot of people like to get up and do stuff on a bank holiday, but not me, I like to hole up with a pile of good things in my fave loungewear and RELAX!

I was recently sent a yummy pair of sheepskin slippers by Tommy Tou, so I thought today would be the perfect day to try them out for the first time. Made from the finest 100% sheepskin for total comfort and warmth, with a durable EVA sole for trips to the garden ;) They're £39.99, so quite reasonable in comparison to some other sheepskin brands, and come boxed ready for gifting!

So here's my bank holiday laydown - a good blu-ray (The Book Of Life is a really beautiful, feel good animation and if you haven't seen it then please do!), a trend led blog research read (thankyou Maybelline!), something to fill in (Listography is the shizz!), yummy candles to relax the mind (The Melt Crowd from Flamingo Candles is top notch), a cute colour for my nails (I barely have time to do them in the week these days) and finally, the obligatory bar of my fave chocolate! Perfection!

sheepskin slippers

bracelets · House of Fraser · Jewellery · rose gold · Ted Baker

Friday Frosting! Ted Baker Teya Enamel Button Bangle at House Of Fraser!

Friday 28 August 2015

We all love a bit of frosting on a Friday right? Well I recently acquired this beauty from House Of Fraser, the Ted Baker Teya Enamel Button Bangle, but it's so adorably delicate that an on the arm shot just wasn't doing it justice because you could barely see it, never mind the deets. Cue me doing an Austin Powers and getting her to pose neked for me. Hey Teya, are you ready for your close up? . . .

Teya comes in 7 different colourways but this rose gold/baby pink caught my eye because it's just so pretty and neutral enough to be worn everyday with just about anything. At just £29 it would make a fab gift for someone, or a beaut treat for yourself. The pliable metal band is SUPER fine so the piece literally weighs nothing, but this only adds to the charm. I feel so ladylike wearing it too, and there's no need to stack 'em or worry about it scratching against your watch!

Bangle - Ted Baker c/o House Of Fraser

Ted Baker Teya Enamel Button Bangle

Beauty · Festival Fashion · Fitbit · Outfit Post · Summer Fashion · Sure · V Festival

V Festival 2015 at Chelmsford with Sure! #NonStopSummer

Wednesday 26 August 2015

Last weekend I headed to Hylands Park in Chelmsford for V Festival 2015. I absolutely love going to music festivals but I've never been to V Fest before - so I was even more excited. After checking the line up for the weekend, I spotted some of my favourite artists and began planning my festival wardrobe!

Armed with a FitBit to track how much I moved over the weekend, a brand spanking new deodorant from Sure with Motionsense freshness technology and a few of my favourite festival dresses, I made my way to Essex! At first I was a bit daunted by the prospect of catching a train to London, a tube from one train station to another, another train to Chelmsford and a bus from the railway station to the festival... but I didn't need to worry. It was an absolute doddle.

I was expecting the festival site to be absolutely tiny compared to Glastonbury, but it was a lot bigger than I thought and a lot bigger than Wireless festival. Camping is split into three colour coded sites, Red, Yellow and Green (for staff). I can't comment on Red or Yellow but the Green campsite was an absolute dream. We put our tent up in less than 10 minutes and we were ready for the music!

V Festival VIP Tickets Review

back to school fashion · Foot Locker · Mens Fashion · menswear · Nike · Nike Rosherun · trainers

Back To School Style - Nike Rosherun At Foot Locker #DontGoUnnoticed

Saturday 22 August 2015

It's that time of year again, back to school booooo, but on the upside it means buying lots of new stuff for your new term look, so yey! Foot Locker have put together a nifty back to school collection to make sure you #DontGoUnnoticed on your first day back, and has everything you need to make an entrance and impress when you return to student life, or even your first day back at work if you're been on a sweet summer holiday. The new collection is all about this season's hottest colourways, black and red. Black sneaks are the perfect way to make an understated statement and here's Tim's take on how to work them into your look with a shibby pair of Nike Rosherun (£69.99) . . .

Outfit: Hoodie - All Saints, Tshirt - Vans, Joggers - Nike, Trainers - Nike Roshe Run c/o Foot Locker, Watch - Hugo Boss, Bag - Antler.

Menswear fashion blogger Nike Rosherun

#weddingwednesday · Beauty · Bridal Inspiration · ESQIDO · false eyelashes · mink eyelashes

Esqido False Eyelashes and Companion Glue Review! #WeddingWednesday

Wednesday 19 August 2015

I've reviewed ESQIDO false eyelashes before, but last time it was the super glam medium volume 'Lashlorette' style, this time I'm trying out the light volume style 'Unforgettable' ($32) in search of a more demure bridal look for #WeddingWednesday!

I'll recap for you, Esqido lashes are made from naturally shed mink fur handcrafted onto a soft cotton band creating a premium quality, professional grade false lash that can be reused up to 25 times if you look after them, and they're SO luxe! This time around I'm also using the Companion glue ($10), for that complete Esqido experience.

Esqido Unforgettable Mink False Eyelashes

clip in hair extensions · hair extensions · Hippy Club · liverpool · Remy hair extensions · Voodou

The Hippy Club Clip In Hair Extensions at Voodou Liverpool!

Tuesday 18 August 2015

A few people have commented on how thick and lovely my hair has been looking lately so I thought it best to come clean, I have awesome new clip in extensions from The Hippy Club, an amazing stennies brand from Liverpool! The Hippy Club is inspired by the effortlessly chic Cali cool and laid back hippy lifestyle that Tara and I dream about! Their 100% Remy hair extensions are all about quality and wearability. This brand is more about instant natural looking boho locks which is perfect for my unruly mane, than the perfectly polished WAG image that is usually associated with extensions!

A few weeks back I had a Hippy Club clip in extension fitting at Voodou on Bold Street, one of Liverpool's premier salons. The fab Marleen gave me the rundown on the Hippy Club brand, matched my colour perfectly (#2) then showed me how to fit them. I'm by no means a newbie to clip ins, but I did pick up some useful tips and styling ideas (such as wearing them overnight in braids for mussed up mermaid hair in the morning - genius!) I also picked up a Hippy Club Festival Hair Trinket (£10) which is so cute, you just clip it into your hair underneath and ta daaa, instant VHudge ;)

Hippy Club clip in hair extensions

Anthropologie · Lands' End · Outfit Post · Summer Fashion

Lands' End Pattern Linen Sun Dress

Monday 17 August 2015

Happy belated National Friendship Day! To celebrate National Friendship Day last month, Jade (with a little help) treated me to a dress from Lands' End. She knows my style really well and I was super excited when this beautiful bohemian sun dress turned up!

It's a lovely lightweight frock which looks like it belongs in Anthropologie rather than Lands' End. I think they are going through a bit of an image change at the moment, in the past if someone mentioned Lands' End to me I would've instantly thought of wool and cashmere jumpers for mature women, but my perception has completely changed after seeing this. They have some wonderful statement pieces (hello denim shirt dress) which tie in with the traditional knitwear and outerwear you would expect.

Lands End Dress

Anoushka Woods · Bristol Zoo · New Look · Outfit Post · The Dressing Room · Warehouse

Getting Tribal at Bristol Zoo!

Friday 14 August 2015

Last weekend I headed to Bristol Zoo with my beautiful baby niece! I haven't been to the zoo for years so I was looking forward to checking out all the animals. Visiting on a manic sunny Saturday was possibly the worst idea I've had in a long time... It was rammed with Groupon ticket holders!

The zoo itself was a bit of a disappointment but I am speaking from an adult's perspective here. I paid £16 to get in and it was, well... Pretty grubby. The windows/glass were all filthy and all the carpets needed vacuuming. That being said, the grounds are well laid out, there are tons of interactive activities for the kids and there are some adorable animals living there! It was definitely a lot better when I was young - Wendy the elephant was alive and there was a giraffe house. For a big city, it's a pretty disappointing zoo... BUT my niece loved it. It's a great day out for the kids, just don't expect to be impressed as a grown up haha.

Bristol Zoo Bristol Blog

ChloBo · Cutler and Gross · Oco Sunglasses · Outfit Post · Summer Fashion

OCO Cutler and Gross 1128 Sunglasses

Wednesday 12 August 2015

I'm a huge fan of designer sunglasses, I have a drawer full of various shapes and styles but I'm always looking for something a little more unique! Although I like to try sunglasses on in store, I always buy them online because they tend to be more affordable and you can discover brands you never knew existed.

I was recently sent a pair of Cutler and Gross 1128 Sunglasses to review from OCO - an awesome online website which stocks luxury eyewear. I'd never heard of OCO until recently but they have an extremely wide selection of top brands including Gucci, Tom Ford, Dior and Prada. I am a fan of these designers but I was drawn to the more unusual brands I'd never heard of before such as Oliver Goldsmith, Dita, Thom Browne and of course, Cutler and Gross!

OCO Sunglasses Review

bridal hair · Bridal Inspiration · ghd · Hair · rose gold ghd V styler

Bridal Hair With The ghd Rose Gold V Styler!

Tuesday 11 August 2015

As you know, Tara and I are both getting hitched next year, and so we've been playing around with lots of hair and make-up ideas in prep. I was generally thinking I wanted my hair down, long, big and wavy, but ghd challenged me to create something a little different using their beautiful Limited Edition ghd V Rose Gold Styler (currently £20 off online with code GHD20), and how could a girl say no?!

The colour though, it's so glam and perfect for a bride to be! The set comes with matching sectioning clips and coordinating heat resistant roll bag, essential for storage and travel (honeymoon anyone?). I know everyone says it but ghd truly are the shizznit. I also have the Eclipse styler, the AIR hairdryer and use several of their styling products, and they make everyday styling a breeze.

Seeing as I've always wanted my hair down for the wedding, I thought I'd research some updo's and took to the ghd Hairstyles page for some inspo. If you've never checked this bit of their webby out then you definitely should, it's amazing and full of all sorts of ideas with step by step video instructions. I found this Bridal Hair video where the stylist basically creates loose waves using the ghd styler, then sections the hair into 2 pieces and ties it together as you would when starting a bow! So simple, but so effective?! If you watch the video in full you'll see that she ends up with a full updo style after beautifully pinning it all into loose curls, but I decided to leave the front pieces long and only pin the back sections up to give a little height, I think it looks fab, still total bridal glam but with a bit of an edge?

The right side of my hair is basically just pulled back and hairsprayed to keep all the flyaways in place, so there's not much going on there but it might be nice to pin some sort of embellished clip there if you don't want it that simplistic? My 'veil' seen in these pics has a big bow at the back (just seen) so I didn't think it necessary to further accessorise, but it's a choice every girl has to make for herself ;) I also styled my usually straight fringe into this nifty full side version to counter the 'blank space' on my right side. It was really easy, I just pulled it over to one side in small sections using the styler, then set with hairspray - ta daaa!

The ghd styler creates a lovely soft wave, perfect for putting super long hair like mine into a romantic style like this, just make sure you use a heat protection spray beforehand. I love how the lengths get shorter towards the back with the longer tendrils at the front framing my face, it's a bit of a nod to 80's rock chicks like one of my personal faves Wendy from Prince and The Revolution, and even draws inspo from side shaved styles seen on the likes of Rihanna and Natalie Dormer, which is pretty cool.

This has really put me into a bridal hair tizzy now as I was pretty adamant that I wanted my hair big and blown out, but this looks so nice that I might have to go back to that drawing board - OH LIFE!

Huge thanks to ghd for the styler and the awesome ideas!

J xoxo

charm bracelets · charms · Endless Jewelry · Jennifer Lopez · Jewellery · Outfit Post

Endless Jewelry #coloryourlife

Monday 10 August 2015

Endless Jewelry recently got in touch to see if I wanted to pick out a charm and bracelet from their huge collection. Now I'm not going to lie, the brand was new to me when they introduced themselves so I had to check out their online store to get a feel for them, and I'm glad I did! Hailing from Denmark (loving our Euro brands right now!), founder Jesper Nielsen (of Pandora fame) teamed up with super talented designer Christina Hembo to bring us their fresh take on chic leather wrap bracelets adorned with silver, gold and rose gold charms. I was most intrigued to see that they have a Jennifer Lopez Collection, which excited me no end because obviously Jen and I are physical twins so I figured her designs would be right up my street ;)

Endless Jewelry Jennifer Lopez

Competitions · Festival Fashion · Festival Style · I Want To Win Hawt Stuff · Superdry

The Big Superdry Festival Fashion Competition!

Sunday 9 August 2015

Heading to a festival this summer? Whether you’re heading off to a massive music event or just bopping along to summer beats in the garden, you can’t beat that festival look this season. That’s why we are working in collaboration with Superdry to give you the opportunity to win a fantastic range of prizes in this festival inspired competition!

The epic first place Winner prize pack is:

* Exclusive Personal Styling Appointment at the Superdry Premium Lounge!
* Superdry Outfit worth up to £500!
* Take over Superdry’s official Pinterest account for a day!
* Blog takeover – Create your own blog post to be exclusively featured on the Superdry blog!

And FOUR Runners Up will each win the T-shirt they have selected in their competition entry post!

If you want to get involved, entry is simple:

1. Create a blog post styling a Festival look using a Superdry t-shirt and other Superdry products from the online store, here's one I made earlier (that tee though - swoon!) . . .

ARK · boho · cold shoulder · flares · Outfit Post

Transitional Boho With Ark!

Saturday 8 August 2015

Can you boho without sun? Of course you can. Faves like Sienna Miller and VHudge have been boho-ing come rain or shine for years, it's just an adjustment or two and you're away!

So trend spotters on the high street ARK challenged us to cool down boho ready for late summer shade, and here we have my pop at it . . .

Outfit: Top - c/o ARK, Trousers - c/o ARK, Boots - Warehouse, Necklace - Mi Moneda, Bracelets - ChloBo/Karma Feeling/Endless Jewelry, Watch - Daniel Wellington.

transitional boho fashion with flares

Adidas · Adidas LA Trainers · Foot Locker · Hugo Boss · menswear · OnePiece · Outfit Post · trainers

Adidas LA Trainer Weave at Foot Locker! Summer Shorts #Approved!

Friday 7 August 2015

Timmy has a trainer obsession to rival Tara's! He rarely strays far from Adidas and Nike and favours the freshest whites, the coolest greys and the occasional splash of blue, so when I presented him with the new Adidas LA Trainer Weave in White (£64.99 and exclusive to Foot Locker) his little face lit up. Or maybe it was the glow from the blinding white precious' coming from the box making him go all Gollum, hard to tell ;) Regardless, we waited for a shorts #approved day to roadtest them because muddy ground and rain is not a friend to all white fabric footwear and tip toeing through the tulips isn't a very attractive look for a bloke . . .

Outfit: Hoodie - OnePiece, Tshirt - Hugo Boss, Shorts - Hugo Boss, Watch - Hugo Boss, Trainers - Adidas c/o Foot Locker.

Adidas LA Trainer Weave Foot Locker #approved

Grafea · jovanna · Liberty · Office · Outfit Post · Superga

Superga x Liberty London Art Fabrics at Office!

Thursday 6 August 2015

This weather eh, how is a girl supposed to get her summer on with all this wind and rain?! Well I've been taking that wind and throwing caution to it, wearing this colourful little outfit and brightening up a dull day with a lot of help from my new Superga x Liberty London Art Fabric sneaks exclusively from Office!

Outfit: Dress - Jovanna, Bag - Grafea, Shoes - Superga x Liberty London c/o Office, Watch - Daniel Wellington, Bracelet - Endless Jewellery.

Superga x Liberty London

ARK · Festival Fashion · Festival Style · Glamorous · Outfit Post

Glamorous at Ark Clothing: The Fenchurch Dress

Wednesday 5 August 2015

This summer, Ark opened its first Bristol store in Cabot Circus! They stock a whole range of young fashion brands including Hearts & Bows, Only, Motel, Rare London and Glamorous. I have a bit of a thing for festival style clothing, I can't help but be drawn to boho styles and fun prints because all I want to do is look like Vanessa Hudgens at Coachella.

Ark Fashion Bristol

UK Festival Fashion

Glamorous Fenchurch Mosaic Dress

Ark Clothing Glamorous Dress

Hat and Dress: c/o ARK

This awesome Fenchurch Mosaic Tile Print Dress is by Glamorous, it has a nice relaxed fit (this is the size 8) and looks a lot more expensive than it is. I paired it with some of my favourite sandals and another new hat - this Terri wool fedora. It was pretty darn hot at the weekend but this tunic dress kept me cool.

Ark also stock Kiss The Sky which is one of my favourite bohemian brands - I WANT IT ALL. Have you shopped with them before? They have a great online store and now I can shop in store too! Winning.

Would you wear this dress? Are you going to any festivals soon?

T - Feeling so bohemian like you.

Marks And Spencer · occasion wear · Outfit Post · wedding outfit

M&S Style Evolution

Tuesday 4 August 2015

I think it's only natural that our style evolves over time. As much of you know, I'm getting married next year but I'm also turning 30. GASP. None of my friends are married yet and none of us have kids. We're definitely a young group - even though we're nearing the end of our twenties - we're well travelled, active and live life to the full! We're not ready to settle down yet, but we are starting to grow up. A bit.

Sam's style has already started to evolve over the past year, he no longer wears hoodies and likes a good button up! My style isn't going to change overnight just because I'm a year older or because I'm married, but I have started to smarten up. A bit.

Marks and Spencer asked me to share my style evolution and feature some of my must-have's for my upcoming milestone! I've always been a fan of maxi dresses but in the past I've worn more casual styles.

Marks and Spencer Dresses

House of Fraser · menswear

Menswear: How to Nail a First Date Outfit

Monday 3 August 2015

I think it's fair to say some men struggle when it comes to finding their style. I'm quite lucky that Sam knows his own mind and is a naturally snappy dresser, he won't wear anything he doesn't feel comfortable in and is pretty fashion forward. I know there are many men out there who are always looking for a little style advice, which is absolutely fine too... I'm always looking for more fashion tips!

House of Fraser have challenged bloggers to dress one of two 'undateable' men who lack fashion sense and need some help. It's a simple challenge, pick either Jarrod or Melvin and create an outfit they can wear on a date. I was instantly drawn to Jarrod, purely because we have the same statement sunglasses and I want him to look as good on the outside as he feels on this inside. AWWW.

Like most guys in their twenties, Jarrod's a social chap who loves a bit of banter (and possibly a cheeky Nandos). I created a smart casual look which I think would be perfect for some first date drinks in a trendy local bar.

Jarrod's first date outfit:

House of Fraser Undateables

Merc Jacket - Tommy Hilfiger Crew - Paul Smith Jeans - Linea Beanie - Converse Trainers - Diesel Watch

Here are my top style tips:

Tip #1: Clean your shoes
If you have new shoes, always wear them on a first date. Dirty, scuffed shoes are a major turn off. When I was single, I judged every man by his shoes. True story. It may sound harsh but if a guy is willing to take the time to clean his shoes, it suggests he'll be willing to put the effort into other things...Like relationships.

Tip #2: Keep it simple
I wouldn't recommend wearing crazy colours of jazzy prints on a first date. Of course if you're a fun guy who is a bit nutty, stay true to yourself and knock yourself out, but otherwise opt for flattering, conservative shades. I would recommend wearing no more than 3 different colours.

Tip #3: Get your jacket right
Decide on the look you're going for and opt for a suitable jacket. Do you like smart blazers? Try wearing it open over a smart tee. If you're an urban fox, opt for a lightweight zip jacket like this burgundy one. This jacket is also available in several other colours including a pretty awesome khaki - something I'd recommend for Autumn/Winter.

Tip #4: Wear denim (which fits)
Okay, first thing's first, your jeans need to fit you. They can't be too small or too big, they need to fit properly. Secondly, dark colours are considerably more flattering so go for these. I'd suggest a black, dark grey or dark denim pair. Avoid jeans with rips or *shudders* fading. So many men's jeans have ugly bleached patches on the front. Avoid these like the plague.

Tip #5: Accessorize
Am I the only watch obsessed woman out here? I am always checking out men's watches. If you have a nice watch, I'm going to mention it. Even if you're a stranger. Wear a decent timepiece - it's a good talking point! I also love a man in a hat. This beanie is edgy but not a massive statement piece. Stylish dudes wear hats. Remember that.

So there you have it boys! My top five style tips for a first date. All of my outfit are from House of Fraser's latest menswear collection and I tried to pick a pretty affordable selection. If you're a man who struggles to create fashionable outfits or the men in your life just need a little inspiration, I've also created a celebrity style Pinterest board which you can check out. It's perfect for undateables but also just for guys in general.

If you fancy styling either Jarrod or Melvin, you could win a whopping £1000 gift card to spend instore or online. Wowza. You have until Friday at 12pm to enter.

Do you have any style tips for men? Do you think Jarrod would look good in this outfit?

T - Team Jarrod!

liverpool · Liverpool fashion · Liverpool One · shopping · SuperTrash

SuperTrash Opens Liverpool One Store!

Sunday 2 August 2015

Amazingly gorgeous Dutch fashion brand SuperTrash is opening it's first UK store outside London in our very own Liverpool One shopping centre, and I am CONVELLING! Founder Olcay Gulsen created SuperTrash in 2004 to bridge the gap between high street and luxury fashion. The brand now boasts 15 stores worldwide with over 2000 boutique stockists across 32 countries in Europe and America, with the successful online store available to those who don't have access to an actual outlet.

The new boutique is to open on Lower South John Street, adjacent to the new regional flagship Zara, no doubt causing a flurry of excitement this weekend as the fashion mad girls of Liverpool rush to be the first to own a piece from the latest addition to the city centre - me included! Here are a few of my must haves from the new season . . .

Oxygen Jacket (£305) - Loving the glam gold accents on this classic biker leather style.

Belize Blouse (£80) and Safi Skirt (£90) - Ugh, I need this look to sex up my working day!

Offspring Coat (£155) - The colour is everything, and it looks SO plush!

Eagle Boots (£190) - Okay, so these aren't my normal style but I just love how Kimmy K they are, and they'd look amazing under my next choice . . .

. . . Dylie Dress (£130) - Soooooooooooo ridiculously classy. Stick your leg out of that front split and reveal your Eagle's, siiiiggghhhhhh!

So there you have it, what a fab addition to Liverpool fashion. I can't wait to see these pieces strutting around town. Anyone got a spare grand knocking about that I can get SuperTrashy with?! ;)

J xoxo

Brogues · hush puppies · Oasis · Outfit Post · summer shoes

Hush Puppies 'How To Wear' Challenge!

Saturday 1 August 2015

Until recently, Hush Puppies wasn't a brand I associated with stylish shoes. Every Brit knows Hush Puppies makes comfortable footwear, but they've had a bit of a reputation of being just that, comfortable. I was recently asked to take part in their blogger 'How To Wear' campaign, and challenged to style a pair of Hush Puppies from their SS15 collection.

I was a bit taken aback by the range on their website, they have stock so many fashionable styles I opted for a pair of trendy summer brogues. Standard.

Bristol Bloggers

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