The Mother's Purse

My Mum came to visit me last weekend which was lovely :)
We always seem to end up in town having a little browse around the shops and I always end up with a little treat courtesy of her purse.

First stop Primark to see what bits and bobs we could find...

I got these black and white polka dot nail wraps which were only £1! Thought they were worth a go!

Nail Wraps - £1 - Primark

I'm not normally very good at fiddly nail things but these were actually really easy to apply. You just stick them on and then file down the edges. I did put a coat of clear nail varnish over the top which I think helped as well. Even if these only last a day they are still a success as they only cost a pound.

I've been debating getting a backpack for a while now as I'm fed up of hauling my heavy handbag round with me all day. I wasn't quite sure if I could pull off a backpack without looking silly but this Primark one was only £12 and Mum offered to buy it for me so how could I say no!

Backpack - £12 - Primark

I don't normally spend too much money on make-up - I'm more about fashion than beauty - but I was desperate for a new face powder so my Mum and I headed over to Boots. I normally use 'Max Factor Creme Puff' in 'Translucent' but it was £5.99 and since March was a 5 week month and my Mum had already spoiled me enough for one day, I wasn't prepared to spend that much! I headed over to the Natural Collection stand which is one of Boots' own brands. I picked up the 'Pressed Powder' in 'Warm' which was only £1.99. They had a 3 for 2 offer on as well so I decided to get a couple of their 'Moisture Shine Lipsticks' which were also £1.99 each. I chose some pink shades as I thought that they would be nice for Spring/Summer. So I ended up with the face powder I needed and 2 lipsticks for £3.98! Such a bargain and the powder is just as good as the Max Factor one.

Natural Collection Pressed Powder in 'Warm' - £1.99
Natural Collection Moisture Shine Lipstick in 'Cranberry - £1.99
Natural Collection Moisture Shine Lipstick in 'Pink Mallow' - £1.99
Currently on a 3 for 2 offer (31/03/2013)

After a hot choc at Costa's, we headed home. Thought I would take some snaps of my lovely Mum who was wearing a purse-friendly (but still fashionable) outfit.

Black Lace T-Shirt - £7.99 - H&M
Black Jersey Pencil Skirt - £5 - Primark

 All in all it was a great day and I only spent £3.98 (thanks Mum)!

The Boyfriend

It turns out I'm not the only one in my household that has a shopping habit... Ricky's been at it as well! He found some great t-shirts and vests on ASOS in the sale (yay sale!), so we ignored the HORRIBLE weather and got in the mood for summer.

T-Shirt - Selected at ASOS, Jeans - Topman, Shoes - Converse at Schuh

Click To Buy From ASOS

Ricky has a thing for white t-shirts so when he saw this one in the sale for £10 he couldn't resist! It's a regular fit t-shirt with a collage of retro boxing photos and is easy to throw on with slim leg jeans and converse for a casual look. I think it would also look great with a black blazer for a more smart/casual occasion.

Vest - ASOS, Shorts - River Island, Espadrilles - River Island

Click To Buy From ASOS

Ricky spotted this vest for only £6 - what a bargain! I love the pocket detail and the print gives off holiday vibes without looking like a tacky Hawaiian shirt!

Vest - ASOS, Shorts - River Island, Espadrilles - Topman

Click To Buy From ASOS

This is my favourite of all of Ricky's purchases and it only cost him £10. I absolutely love the colours and the print and it goes perfectly with the white shorts that he already had.

So now Ricky's summer wardrobe is ready, all we need is some sun... hmm...

The Week Off - Part Two

My week off continued with another pyjama day on Thursday where I tried to resist online shopping and FAILED. But it was ok... I only spent £2.68 on a choker necklace on eBay. I don't really buy clothes from eBay because I'm quite fussy so I only like buying clothes online if I can return them! However, you can get some really good bargains on jewellery and you can find things that you wouldn't find anywhere else. I think that chokers are going to be really big this SS so I thought I'd get in there before everyone else.

I've been looking for a cheap nail art set for ages but they all seem to be at least £6 and I always chip my nails so I don't fancy wasting that sort of money! Instead I decided to do a little experiment... I painted my nails with a coat of nude nail varnish and then when it was dry I got some sticky labels and cut out some little triangles. I stuck the triangles onto each nail right next to the nail beds and then painted a few coats of black nail varnish onto my nails. When the nail varnish was completely dry, I peeled off the sticky triangles. This was the outcome...

Nude Nail Varnish - Nice 'N' Neutral from Topshop
Black Nail Varnish - Black No.33 from Miss Sporty

I was really happy with the outcome - it wasn't perfect but I don't think it was too bad since I did it without a kit. I think it would look quite good with two bright colours instead of the neutral shades.  

In the evening Ricky and I went to TGI Fridays... yum yum! Thought I'd get a little bit dressed up for the occasion.

Shirt - Topshop, Skirt - Topshop, Glossy Tights - Primark, Chelsea Boots - Topshop

My floral shirt is actually a pyjama shirt but when I bought it I thought that it was way too pretty to only be worn in bed! It also looks great worn loose over leggings or skinny jeans as it's quite long AND it was cheaper than a normal Topshop shirt. I'd say that was win-win.

I couldn't resist a strawberry daiquiri!

This morning (Friday) my Glamorous order arrived (see my earlier post The Week Off - Part One) so I immediately ripped it open and tried on my purchases.

Shirt Dress - Glamorous, Leggings - Topshop, Shoes - Primark

I love the style of this shirt - it's a good length as it's long enough so that you could wear it with leggings and I love the cut out detail - but I think that the neutral colour washes me out. Unfortunately this one's getting sent back.

Bomber Jacket - Glamorous, Dress - Topshop, Shoes - Primark

I was really excited when I took the jacket out of the bag as I could tell it was really good quality. The sleeves are nice and thick and the front and back panel are double layered. However, when I put it on I was no longer excited - it looks horrendous on me! I tried zipping and unzipping but I just couldn't make it look right. I think it was because the material was quite heavy but the elastic around the bottom wasn't very tight so it hung down rather than staying in the 'bomber' shape. This one's getting sent back too... how sad :(

I'm definitely not put off of Glamorous though... they had loads of amazing pieces, I just happened to pick the wrong ones for me this time!

The Week Off - Part One

I've had a week off from work this week yay!
Here's what I've been up to...

Sunday was St. Patricks Day so my boyfriend and I decided to head out in the evening to a new Grosvenor Casino that's opened within walking distance of our flat. I thought I would go all out and found my best green dress from Joy (www.joythestore.com). As we were walking, I wanted to wear flats but I realised that I don't actually own a pair of black flat shoes! Just had to go for a small heel instead...


Emma wears: Dress - Joy, Shoes - Topshop
Ricky wears: Shirt - Penguin at TKMaxx

On Monday we went shopping in Oxford and I picked up some cute studded pumps from Primark for £10 to fill the gap in my wardrobe that became apparent last night! They are really comfy and I think they'll look great day or night.


T-Shirt - Topshop, Jeans - Topshop, Pumps - Primark

 On Tuesday I had a pyjama day and got down to some serious online shopping! I had a look on twitter for some inspiration and came across http://glamorous.com/. They have some great pieces at amazing prices! They offer free delivery and free returns which is always a must when internet shopping because you don't want to end up spending a fortune sending the item back if it's the wrong size. I ended up buying this bomber jacket (£40) and cut out shirt dress (£22)...

I also found this swing dress on ASOS which was only £18 so I just couldn't resist!

Look out for my reviews on these items as soon as they arrive!



All this spending has meant that I've had to put some of my beloved wardrobe up for sale on eBay so check out my listings for some fashion bargains starting at 99p!

The Newbie

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Thought I better get involved with Bloglovin :)

New post to come tomorrow!

The Work Wear

Just because you have to follow uniform guidelines at work doesn't mean you have to look boring. At work I have to wear a smart outfit but I'm only allowed to wear black!
Here's what I am wearing to work today...

Dress - Topshop, Dangly Earrings - River Island, Belt - Primark, Watch - Casio at Urban Outfitters, Rings - Pandora, Nail Varnish - Topshop, Shoes - Primark.

• If you have to wear your hair up, curl your ponytail to give it a bit more excitement!
• Wear dangly earrings! (But keep them small and simple)
• Wear an outfit that still reflects current trends but make sure it is simple and sophisticated.
• Add a belt or other accessories but keep them understated.
• Add a splash of colour on your nails (if you're allowed).
• Wear heels! It makes an outfit look so much more glamorous! If you're on your feet all day, stick to a small heel and keep a pair of flats in your bag.)

And there you go... you're still following the rules but you don't completely lose your fashion identity!

FYI - I love this dress! I have it in bottle green too :)

The Bro

I went home on Mother's Day last weekend and spent some time with my brother, Ben. He's also always looking for ways to keep his wardrobe up to date without breaking the bank. I thought he looked pretty cool so I took some pics...

T-shirt - Topman, Jeans - Primark, Plimsoles - Primark.

Ben's tip for SS13 is to turn up your jeans so that they are nice and tight just above the ankle.

Hoodie - Primark, T-shirt - Topman, Jeans - Primark, Plimsoles - Primark.

We couldn't resist hitting the shops in the afternoon and Ben decided to splash out on some white Converse from Topman (but we also saw them for the same price at Office and Schuh). At £43 they weren't a particularly good bargain but he went for the white trainer which you can wear with anything - plus everyone should own a pair of Converse!

The Rihanna Collection

At 1am this morning the 'Rihanna For River Island' collection was launched so first thing this morning I was on the website checking it out!
The collection is quite simplistic and is based around a colour palette of black, white, grey and bright yellow with washed denim intertwined. Crop tops and thigh high splits feature heavily as do knot detailing, giving a very customised feel. 
At first glance I wasn't overly impressed but as I started to look at each piece I realised that this collection was actually very wearable and the price was not too bad at all considering Ri Ri's high profile.
Here's my top five:

This thigh split maxi skirt (£40) has just the right balance of being casual without being boring. The grey sweater material makes it an every day wardrobe essential but the zip detail and split give that bit of interest which can carry it through to night time. Wear with a crop top and plimsoles.

This trucker hat features a pendant which is based on one of Rihanna's tattoos and is the only hat in the collection. It's really versatile and could top off any outfit from the collection. At £25, I think you'd get your money's worth.

I am in love with the black wash denim that is popping up all over the high street this season and these slim jeans are going to be a wardrobe staple for SS13. At £50 they are certainly not cheap but they will go with pretty much anything so you'll be able to wear them again and again.

At £18 this simple knotted vest is a must-have. Wear with a bikini top and hotpants on the beach or with a maxi skirt for summer-time chic. This crop top is my number one for effortless style.

This beautiful maxi dress is one of the most expensive pieces in the collection at £60 but I would say it is totally worth it. The front is plain and simple with a high neck and another one of those thigh high splits but the back is the main feature with the amazing slash and knot detail. Wear with a black string bikini if you don't dare to go braless!

I can't wait to visit the store and try some of these amazing pieces on!

The Wishlist

So I've got a day off today but with Mother's Day coming up, I really don't have much money to spend on myself... but there's no harm  in doing some online window shopping right? 

When online shopping I always head straight to the 'New In' section. This way you are more likely to be the first to own the next must-have item as the websites often stock new lines before they arrive on the high street.

After browsing the websites of Topshop, River Island, Asos and Urban Outfitters there's so many things I want! Here's my wish list...


Topshop

I am in love with this stripe cutout midi dress which is fairly reasonable at £30. The navy blue stripes give it that nautical feel - the trend that seems to come around every summer without fail, meaning that this is a piece that you'll wear year after year. The cut-outs are high up so that they reveal the ribs and waist, minimising the risk of any flab spilling out!
I am a massive fan of the midi length (at 5ft 8 short skirts and dresses normally leave little to the imagination but I still like to get my pins out on a sunny day!) so this dress is perfect for me. The only issue may be the horizontal stripes which are renowned as being unflattering but I think that the well-placed cut-outs should combat this.

River Island

With the highly anticipated line from Rihanna launching from 1am tonight on riverisland.com, I'm sure that my number one choice from River Island's 'Just Arrived' section will soon be different but for now I love their polka dot crop top and skirt combination. 

The matching crop top and skirt trend has been seen recently on several celebrities including Kimberley Walsh and Cat Deeley but River Island's version is much more playful and wearable.

Both the skirt (£18) and long sleeved crop top (£20) are grey with large white polka dots and would look great worn together or mixed and matched with other items in your wardrobe. I would team this outfit with converse or plimsoles and a Cara Delevingne-style beanie hat.

Asos

Asos has some great pieces in its own brand collection that you can't get on the high street and the prices are often very reasonable. I love this Wiggle Dress In Stripe Print as it looks really premium at a high street price of £42. Although this is normally more than I would spend I think that the detail on this dress makes it worth the price. It could be the centre piece of an elegant ensemble when teamed with heels or dressed down on holiday with flat sandals.

Urban Outfitters

I don't shop in Urban Outfitters very often as they are at the very top end of my budget but every now and again they have something that I cannot resist splashing out on! This BDG Long-Line Denim Jacket would be a great addition to my wardrobe as (hopefully) the weather will soon be getting warmer and I will be able to put my winter coat away for another year. I love my over-sized camo jacket but the camo trend will soon be on its way out and a denim version would be a great replacement. It could be worn with skinny jeans and a baggy t-shirt for the ultimate casual look or with a pretty dress for a grungy look. Unfortunately at £68, the jacket will probably be staying on my wish list for a long time!

The Rock ’n’ Roll Accessories

Whenever I’m running low on cash but am in need of a fashion fix, Primark is my solution. Although I don’t buy many clothes from Primark, their accessories are on trend and an absolute bargain!

I went in earlier this week and told myself that I only had £10 to spend. I filled my basket with about £30 worth of goodies but managed to whittle it down to four items.

1.    Studded Clutch Bag – At £6 this clutch is a steal! It has a detachable wrist strap making it suitable for day or night time use. The detail on the bag is amazing considering the price - different sized studs on the front of the bag, stud detail on the zip and a dangly tassle complete with its very own mini-studs! It’s the perfect size – I can fit in my normal purse and phone with room left over for make-up and other essentials. The only downside is that there is no inside pocket to keep small items safe but for £6 this isn’t a major issue!

2.    Long Cross Chain – I absolutely love this chain as I have quite a few plain tops and dresses that need a long necklace to create some interest. It has a clasp so that you can adjust the length and has a slightly ‘tarnished’ look which gives a grungy feel. I’ve already worn this 2 times in the past few days so for £2 I am very happy!

3.    Silver Cross Earrings – Plain and simple, these earrings are the perfect size – big enough so that they can be seen when wearing your hair down but not so big that they cross the line and look tacky. How could I resist for £1.50!?

4.     Pack Of Four Hair Grips – This was the only one of my purchases that I was slightly disappointed with. The grips looked great in the shop but when I tried them in my hair they were a bit too heavy and so didn’t grip my hair very well. However, they did only cost £1.50 and I found an alternative use – push them into a messy bun for a rocky edge.

Overall I was extremely happy with my four purchases – my thirst for fashion was quenched for another few days and I had only spent a tenner! Thanks Primark :)