The Cookiepedia: a review

One of the best things about having a blog is being lucky enough to try out products that I might otherwise not get the chance to. I was contacted a few weeks ago by Mat from PGUK and he very kindly offered to send me a copy of 'The Cookiepedia' by Stacy Adimando. You all know how much I like baking and I thought that it would be a good opportunity for me to try out some new recipes and hopefully showcase a fantastic cookbook at the same time... win win all round right?



Kate Moss lipstick...

To celebrate 10 years (!) of being the face of Rimmel London, Kate Moss has created her own range of lipsticks for them. I know Kate Moss can be a little bit Marmite but I really like her and of course she always looks great... 


The collection is absolutely fab and as make-up was on 3 for 2 in Boots (and I needed some foundation) I decided to treat myself.  I love the packaging and think it suits the collection perfectly. 


Now usually I would go for bright reds or pinks (shade 01 is right up my street...) but in the spirit of trying new things I decided to branch out a little and I bought the dark purple 04 shade and the rosy pink 08. Is it me or do you find it a little odd that they haven't named the collection, especially as all Rimmel's other lipsticks are named?! 


Both of these shades are ones that are more challenging for me to wear, finding the right shade of rosy pink is always difficult for someone with skin  as pale as mine but I think this one may be perfect, dusky enough to wear with other make up but I imagine it would look as good on its own. 


I don't know how I am going to pull off this purple without looking like I am one of the undead (all dark hair and pale skin) or off to a Halloween party In this picture I literally blotted it down to a stain but I want to be able to wear it in all it's full coverage glory... any ideas?


I'm hoping that the purple will come into it's own with a slick of liquid eyeliner and  a lot of confidence, maybe on a night out as an alternative t a smokey eye? I think I will be looking to Susie for ideas on how to pull it off

DO you like these lipsticks? How would you wear the dark purple lipstick?

Monochrome maxi...

There was something so deliciously severe about this outfit and I loved wearing something so out of my comfort zone. I have worn both the top and skirt before on the blog but I had never thought to pair them together until recently. I felt quite elegant and it is clear to see why monochrome outfits are so classic and timeless. For someone who is used to wearing bright colours though, it requires a whole different mindset...

Top: ASOS, skirt: Yayer, belt: Primark, shoes: New Look
The skirt is the perfect mix of flowy (for the sunshine) and covered up (for the shade) and I have found it to be one of the most versatile pieces in my wardrobe- I just don't tend to feature it as much in outfit posts as it is quite distinctive and I'm sure you would get bored of how often I wear it! 


I went for glowy make-up with hot pink blush and a hot pink lip (Rimmel Pink Gossip)  to match. This made me feel a lot more like 'me' and added a bit of colour to break up the harshness of the black and white together.


My hair simply wasn't co-operating so I swept it into a chunky side plait, I have to say, it is nice to have hair that's long enough to do this with as it always used to be too curly! Luckily it's the kind of hairstyle that only looks better as the day wears on and it gets more dishevelled, perfect for those days where you want the focus to be on your outfit... 

Apologies for the slightly gapey top, at least I was wearing a pretty bra

How do you wear monochrome outfits? Do you like bright lipsticks?

Indian summer...

After a summer of pretty rubbish weather, October has dawned bright and sunny. Unfortunately I have packed away all of my summer clothes (into vacuum pack bags nonetheless!) and was stuck on what to wear when it hit the mid twenties this weekend. 

Slip dress: Boux Avenue, belt: vintage Laura Ashley, shorts (not seen): New Look, shoes: Topshop, cardigan: Tesco, bag: Fiorelli (gift) , sunglasses(!):  Accessorize
My slip dress from Boux Avenue (yes I still love this brand!) was perfectly light and floaty and with a cardigan on, I'm sure no-one even realised that it was supposed to be underwear!   I loved the design of this and as ever, the detailing is what really sets it apart. I can't wait to wear this as an extra layer in winter with the cute lace detailing poking out under the hem of my dresses and I think it will look as equally cute as it does in the sunshine... you have to love a versatile piece of clothing!


To avoid it looking too shapeless I cinched it in with my favourite belt and threw on this coral cardigan to give it a bit of colour. With my untanned limbs, I needed a colour pop to avoid looking like Casper! 



This was also the reasoning for wearing this pop of coral lipstick. I had just finished a really busy week at work and this Rimmel lipstick in 'Tell No-one' was the perfect colour to brighten up my tired skin and even put a smile on my face!



Recently I seem to be wearing styles and colours of things that I loved 2 years ago but haven't worn for a while and this lipstick is one such thing. For a while I avoided wearing bright lipsticks but recently I have come back round to them ... I guess fashion and style really is cyclical! 


Do you think style is cyclical? Are your clothes practical or just adorable? 

Sorbet pastels...

The sudden reappearance of sunshine has forced me to reassess what I am wearing (as my beloved boots aren't currently an option) and when I looked back through my summer outfits for inspiration, I found these pictures which I never posted. I remember being inspired by Sarah when I was putting this outfit together although she wears pastels much better!

Blouse: Miss Selfridge, shorts: Zara, shoes: Dorothy Perkins, pasty white skin: model's own
I loved wearing this outfit and the pale colours together were a slight departure from my usual way of wearing these shorts. I usually try and tone down the saccharine shade of pale pink with grey or printed accessories but instead I embraced the more muted green of this blouse.


The detailing on this blouse meant that I didn't have to wear any accessories either...win! I love the high neck on this too, it always makes me feel very prim and proper although I never know what jacket to pair with it as I feel like I need some skin showing...


What are you wearing in our mini heatwave? Would you wear pastels?

Mum's the word...

Ever since I was very young, my mum has dressed well and as I have grown up, there are certain pieces that I have just had to snaffle off her. This coat is a case in point, I had been eyeing it up for ages and when she said she was going to get rid of it, I practically snatched it out of her hands! 

Dress: vintage Laura Ashley (stolen from Mum),  coat: Dannimac (stolen from Mum), belt:  vintage Laura Ashley, boots: Carvela via John Lewis, bag: Fiorelli (gift) 
I wasn't entirely sure about pairing the coat with this dress but it was so cold and the flared shapes of my macs just looked wrong with the length of the dress. Plus, when I get something new to wear I put it on immediately!  


Sleeves and a rather fantastic daisy print = dress love! This dress is another piece I stole from my mum's wardrobe, I loved the print and the length is perfect for the colder weather,  long enough to keep my ankles warm but short enough for the hem not to drag in the mud and grime that accompanies the rain at this time of year... 


A preview of my rather fantastic boots. I bought these the other week from John Lewis and I have barely taken them off. They are so comfy and perfect for the Autumn with a chunky heel and most importantly, grippy soles! No more falling over on slippy leaves for me! 

Do you steal clothes from your mum's wardrobe? How do you prepare for the Autumn weather? 

Camel+ tobacco.... a Clarks inspired outfit post...

I think sometimes it is all too easy to get caught up in the pretentiousness of fashion and forget that at the end of the day, getting dressed is supposed to be fun. When I bought this dress I wasn't sure what colours to pair it with but this Clarks advert provided me with all the inspiration I could want. Prepare yourself for some very silly photos!

I unfortunately don't have a cute dog to cuddle so I had to make do with a cuddly toy dog from when I was a baby! :P


My colour scheme was slightly different but this advert provided me with the inspiration I needed for styling this up...

Coat: Vintage Dannimac (stolen from my mum!) dress: Mango, belt: New Look, tights: Primark, boots: Carvela from John Lewis, scarf: gift from Mark's parents
This coat is so so cosy and perfect for the Autumn chill and adds an edge of sophistication to all of my outfits, you can see why a classic camel coat is a wardrobe classic!


A better look at the colour of the dress and the look of love reserved for my wonderful co-model, Zac.


I honestly cannot praise these boots enough- they are possibly the most comfortable shoes in my wardrobe and the perfect colour to go with pretty much all of my Autumn outfits...I love it when a plan comes together! 


I have only just noticed the piece of fluff on my dress in these pictures, how annoying! I have been wearing this leopard print belt with everything recently, it has been the perfect accompaniment to all of the rich colours I have been wearing.


I really loved taking these photos and I hope you find them a bit more interesting than my usual outfit posts :)

Should I make Zac a regular feature?! What has been inspiring you recently?

Imperial purple...

I love rich colours and my favourite one to wear is purple. This dress always reminds me of 'the purple one' in the Quality Street tins crossed with imperial robes- no bad thing in my opinion! It is the perfect outfit for wearing to meals and going out for drinks so it was my first choice for a family party this weekend.

Dress: Tesco, leather jacket: New Look, tights: Sainsbury's, shoes: New Look
With a dress this snazzy, I kept the rest of the outfit simple, opting for my favourite jacket and some trusty black opaques.
This dress has pockets, POCKETS! 
As ever, the little details are the best part of any outfit and the pleated sleeves and back detail make this dress look much more expensive than the £7 I paid for it! I have to say, I am always very impressed with the quality of Tesco clothing, especially for the prices!


I cannot wait to get my hair cut again, all of my layers have grown out and it's got to a point where I can't do anything with it. I'm not sure whether to go shorter (just above the shoulder) or to keep on growing it?


When I saw these shoes in New Look I fell in love and although they are very high, the platform makes them slightly easier to walk in although I will never be someone who wears heels everyday!

Which shops do you always go back to? Can you walk in heels?

Apple and blackberry sponge pudding recipe...



Apologies for the lack of foodie posts recently! I have been training and working long hours for my job at Asda, ready for opening our new store (which I am very excited about!) so I haven't had much time to eat/cook anything worth photographing until Mum made this gorgeous apple and blackberry sponge the other day. There's something about the combination of blackberry and apple that always reminds me of Autumn and this recipe is a good way to use up 'offensive' looking apples and perfect for easing you into the chillier months...

Berry jeans...

I find that the best outfits are the ones that are thrown on at the last minute and this was no exception. I had had my eye on these jeans for quite a while now and when they arrived as a surprise present from Mark I was super excited to try them out. Ever since they arrived, I have barely taken them off and I loved the mix of rich tones when I paired them with this top. I love how easy jeans are to wear and these berry beauties are more interesting than the other pair that I own...

Jeans: Miss Selfridge, top: New Look, shoes: Dorothy Perkins, bag: vintage from the Clothes Show
I have found that printed tops look best with them and the print on this one managed to pick up the tone of the jeans whilst being a bit more interesting than a plain t-shirt or blouse. 

Watch: DKNY (gift)
Although I love these jeans, it has been quite a shock to wear something this fitted, as these show every lump and bump! Luckily looser tops and leg lengthening nude shoes have eased me back into wearing 'super skinny jeans' - something I never though I would be saying! 


My little brother took these photos and I have to say I was really impressed! He was directing me as he was taking the photos and managed to take some that were really rather fantastic! 

Would you wear berry jeans? Who do you get to take your outfit shots?