The Haircut

Just thought I'd do a quick post - for those of you that don't follow me on instagram - on my new haircut. As you may have noticed in my photographs, I previously had quite long hair with dip dye ends but I got fed up with all the split ends so decided to have  the ends chopped off!



Now that it's shorter I'm making it my mission to make it more voluminous! In this picture I used Garnier Fructis Style Curl & Bounce Mousse which I bought for £2.65 from Boots (see my previous post: The Holiday Preparation) on wet hair before giving it a blast with the hair dryer.

Although at first I was a bit shocked at how short it was, the ends are so thick now that I really feel like my hair is on the path to being in great condition.

The Boy Buys

Whenever I go on a little shopping trip I always keep an eye out for a little treat for Ricky, since he's normally at work whilst I'm off skipping down the high street. Ricky has SO many t-shorts but I couldn't resist adding these to his collection...

Primark - 'Peace' Tee, £4

Primark - 'Diamond' Tee, £4

I bought Ricky these t-shirts from Primark when I went to Oxford Street a few weeks ago (see: The Apology) as they were only £4 each - such a bargain - and I thought they'd be great just to chuck on when we go on holiday.

Topman - Monsters Inc Tee, £18

Ricky and I are big kids when it comes to the films we like so when I spotted this Monsters Inc tee in Topman at work the other day I had to pick it up for him. At £18 it was a little more pricey than the others but he was so excited by it that it was definitely worth while!

ASOS - Noel Gallagher Tee, £10

This Noel Gallagher t-shirt was in the sale on ASOS for a tenner and since Ricky is a massive Oasis fan (he even has 2 of their song lyrics tattooed on him!) I had to get it for him.

 Ricky's Tattoos!

'Dont' look back in anger' - Chest

'True perfection has to be imperfect' - Forearm

I almost enjoy buying clothes for Ricky as much as I enjoy buying clothes for myself... almost!

The Holiday Preparation

It's only a couple of weeks until I go on holiday to Portugal and I CAN'T WAIT! A whole week of sunshine, good food and relaxation. My Mum came to Reading to see me last Sunday and as usual we popped into town to see what we could find... and we found plenty!

Primark - Pack Of 2 Skinny Belts - £2

As usual, Mum and I found ourselves mooching around Primark trying to sniff out the items that looked the least tacky. I found these belts which I thought were really detailed for just £2 for 2! They are designed to be either a waist or a hip belt so there are plenty of holes so that you can adjust them to the right size.

I then headed to Primark's jewellery section and managed to restrict myself to one necklace but that didn't stop me from looking elsewhere!

Primark - Ring Cluster Necklace - £3

I don't normally wear statement necklaces but I love the turquoise accents in this one and for £3 it was worth giving it a go.

River Island - Arrow Head Earrings - £3

 I like to keep my earrings quite simple and I love how these look kind of rustic (if that's the right word).

H&M - Neon Chain Necklace - £7.99

I've been looking for a short chunky silver chain necklace for a while but I haven't been having much luck. This neon number caught my eye in H&M but I'm not sure about the pink chain. If I can't make it work I'll just detach the neon chain and be left with the necklace I was looking for in the first place!

Boots - Piz Buin Tan & Protect - £8.99 Each.
Boots - Tortoiseshell Sunglasses - £20.00
Primark - Grey Speckle Sunglasses - £2 

Piz Buin has always been my favourite brand of sun protection and they've got this new 'Tan & Protect' range which I'm hoping will get me nice and bronzed during my week away. It's half price at Boots at the moment so worth grabbing it now. 
As for the sunglasses, I always seem to end up sitting on them or crushing them in the bottom of my handbag so I've made a promise to myself to look after these ones this year (especially since my Mum treated me to them!).

Boots - Garnier Fructis Style Curl & Bounce Mousse - £2.65
Boots - Maybelline Eye StudioWhite Kohl Eyeliner  - £2.99

Whilst I was in Boots I just had to grab a couple more bits. I wanted some mousse to create that wavy beach look ready for my holidays. I also decided to try a white eyeliner for a change as black is a bit harsh for sunny days and always ends up running down your face!

Think I'm just about ready to jet off to sunny Portugal now... the countdown begins!

The Market Purchase

Ricky and I finally got a couple of sunny days off together and it was so nice! I spent quite a lot of time moaning that we couldn't afford to go away somewhere for a couple of nights so Ricky promised to take me out for the day to shut me up and he didn't disappoint! After having a very yummy but very naughty breakfast at Frankie and Bennys, we headed to Henley on Thames to wander around the market and trinket shops. Ricky treated me to these amazing trousers for £15 from a market stall. I'm going to call them my Aladdin trousers. 

Boob Tube - H&M, (Old). Aladdin Trousers - Market Stall, £15. Flip Flops - Old.

Bit of a gamble as I couldn't try them on and they are size 'one fits all' which normally frightens me off but it all worked out well in the end. They are SO comfortable that when I wear them I feel like I've accidentally left the house in my pjs and as much as I love the British high street, it's always nice to buy something that's a bit more of a one off. 

The Uniform Allowance

Working for Topshop has many perks but my favourite has got to be the generous uniform allowance. Thought I would share with you a few of the most recent additions to my work 'uniform'. 

Neon Cami - I am loving a splash of neon now that the sun has finally decided to start making an appearance. This cami comes in a variety of colours (I've got my eye on the neon orange one as well) and are so easy to throw on with skinny jeans or a tube skirt. It's only £18, so even without discount it's a bargain and it brings out even the slightest hint of a tan!

Top - Topshop, £18. Skirt - Topshop (Old). Shoes - Topshop , £35.

Heeled Canvas Boots - As I've mentioned before, I'm about 5ft 8 so I tend to shy away from wearing heels on a regular basis but I decided to bite the bullet as these seemed like a good choice for everyday wear. I have worn them nearly every day to work! They are so comfy and go with pretty much everything. Even though they don't have a particularly big heel, they give you that boost of confidence that wearing heels seems to do. £35 before discount isn't too bad either if you think you'll get the same wear out of them that I have! They come in white as well. 

Shoes - Topshop, £35.

I think I've done pretty well at resisting all that Topshop has to offer considering all those clothes are screaming 'BUY ME' on a daily basis!

The Apology

Sorry it has taken me SO LONG to do another post. I have turned into one of those sad people who take their work laptop home on their weekend off (and believe me, a weekend off in retail doesn't happen very often)! Although I must say, I'm very much enjoying being part of the Topshop team once again. My days off have been spent enjoying the sunshine and visiting various friends and family members. I've made it my mission to be much better at keeping in contact with old and new friends and am spending my life on trains getting round to see everyone - but it has been great!

Despite my busy schedule, I have managed to squeeze in some shopping here and there! I went to Oxford Street with my Mum and brother (remember my wish list from 'The Bank Holiday Weekend'?) and got this lovely lime crop top from River Island. 

Top - River Island, £20. Skirt - Topshop (Old), Shoes - Topshop (Old)

Now I just need a tan to go with it!
I also purchased these two amazing bikinis from the new H&M flagship store. H&M have always been my favourite for bikinis and I do have a rather large collection... But I couldn't resist (story of my life).

Bikini Top - H&M, £3.99. Bikini Bottoms  - H&M, £4.99. Hat - Primark (Old)

Just under £9 for a mix and match bikini - amazing! And 25% of the sales from this bikini will go to Water Aid. Even better!

Bikini Top - H&M, £9.99. Bikini Bottoms - H&M, £7.99. Hat - Topman (Old)

I can't wait to go on holiday so that I can wear them all!

The Bank Holiday Weekend

Wow it's been a while since my last post! I have had a busy few weeks settling into my new job. I'm now working in Topshop in Guildford which means I have joined the wonderful world of commuting. But it has all been worth it, I'm loving my new role and all the people I work with. The only draw back is that I've spent all my money before I've earned any on all the beautiful clothes! Working in retail is dangerous when you're a slave to fashion but as always I've been scouring the shop floor for the best bargains and have managed to be fairly sensible with my spending.

I bought this little beauty earlier this week for only £18! Such a bargain.

Topshop T-Back Sun Top - £18

Denim Shorts - H&M - £20ish (Old), Tights - Primark - £2ish, Studded Pumps - Primark - £10, Watch - Casio at Urban Outfitters - £15ish (Old)

Click to buy from Topshop.com

Accidentally went a bit 80's with my hair here! But back to the top... I got this one a size bigger than I would normally buy so that it was nice and comfortable. I love how it is slightly cropped so that you can flash a bit of flesh if you choose or if you prefer to cover up, just pop on a pair of high waisted shorts / jeans / skirt. I wore my strapless bra and a bandeau under the top - there was a bit of a breeze and the material is so light weight that it can just whoosh straight up revealing what you're wearing (or not wearing) underneath! Also I didn't want to spoil the pretty back with any unsightly bra straps. 
I made this purchase over the bank holiday when the sun was glorious and I got that summer feeling even though I was working all weekend. I enjoyed what sunshine was left when I got home from work on the balcony with a San Miguel Fresca. 

Spot the San Miguel Fresca amongst the clutter!

Then came my day off today, Wednesday, which was cloudy and dull... typical! This of course meant that I had nothing better to do than to do some online window shopping. I'm going to Oxford Street with my Mum and Brother this Saturday so I ended up compiling a bit of a wish list...

River Island

River Island - Floral Snap Back

I'm still debating whether I can pull off a snap back but I'm loving this one's floral vibe. Also working in it's favour is the price... £13 ain't bad!

River Island - Lime Crop Cami

I'm loving all things zesty at the moment, from the lime in my beer to this bright cami top. I can just tell that it's going to be flattering and comfortable.

River Island - Floral High Waisted Shorts

I'm not a big fan of hot pants - I don't think that everyone should get a full view of your bum cheeks, even if it is hot and sunny - and these shorts look a little bit longer and more my style. My only problem is that I have a small waist with a big booty and hips so I sometimes get that annoying gap by the small of my back. I'll definitely be hunting these down on Saturday though.


Topshop

Topshop - Orange Mesh Yoke Elastic Waist Dress

 As much as I love getting dressed up and looking my best, I do love having a comfy day every now and again and this dress looks like the perfect solution. Not sure if it will flatter my shape but the lovely colour and mesh detail is taking my fancy.

Topshop - Black High Waisted Skater Skirt

If you're a regular to my blog, you've probably gathered by now that I love a mid length skirt. I feel like I've worn my midi tube skirts to death and I think this would be a good wardrobe staple for high summer to mix and match with crop tops and cami's. I hope that there's some more colours of these skirts to come because I can see myself buying more than one!

Freedom at Topshop - Classic Watch - £16.50

I couldn't believe that this watch was actually £16.50 when I saw it. I was so overwhelmed that I accidentally clicked add to basket and then accidentally checked out. Whoops! In my defence, I have been looking for a gold and silver watch for a while since I always tend to mix up my jewellery. I also did a store availability search and it wasn't available anywhere, including Oxford Circus, so I thought I better get it before I regretted it.

After my accidental purchase I decided I should probably stop internet window shopping as it was getting far too dangerous but I already know that there are some gorgeous bikinis in H&M that will be enticing me in when I hit Oxford Street at the weekend.

What have you not been able to resist buying this week? Let me know and make me feel better about my shopping addiction.