Autumn fashion favourite looks.

Happy November!  Since we've well and truly entered the final phase of Autumn, before Winter (Christmas sooooooon, eeeeep!), I've been loving certain trends that I find are particularly suited to this time of year, for example, berry lips and a velvet dress look gorgeous for this time of year.  Now I openly admit, that I'm not always the most practical dresser, no matter what time of year it is, I ALWAYS find a way of incorporating my signature tea dresses into my wardrobe, if it's with bare legs and sandals in the Summer, or chunky tights, boots and a coat at Winter, I always find they are an item I can get pretty much all year wear out of, even if dresses and skimpy tights are not your typical Winter attire, I'm just a little crazy.

The first trend I'm LOVING is cats, I LOVE CATS. I love all animals, I'm a huge animal lover, but in particular, I love Cats and theway they look, I'm constantly stealing other people's (well, not actually STEALING), but I do bond with random cats and name them funny names, and one day I want to own loads, but...until then that doesn't mean I don't cover my clothes with them! At the risk of looking a little crazy, I try to incorporate one item of cattyness into my look, and I LOVE this dress, especially with black tights and a leather jacket, so cute!  I know cat clothing and accessories are everywhere now, so if you're loving it as much as I am, it's available, meoooooow.

I've always been a huge lover of fishnet tights. Yes ok, I do get they may be slightly dated, but I personally love them, and will always want to wear them.  I like how they have that cross between grunge/glamour, which is what look I love, and I think they can alter the look of a pretty dress instantly. They're a cheap, effective way to grunge up any look! I'll be wearing them with a tea dress, leather jacket, lots of messy necklaces, red lipstick and biker boots.

Velvet is the ultimate Winter staple. Definitely not a trend that could be worn in the Summer months, but definitely a trend that completely works in the Winter! It's the ultimate Christmas material. You can wear it as shorts, if you just want to incorporate a little velvet into your outfit, but also you can get some lovely velvet dresses, if you're feeling particularly erm...velvety?!  I've seen some lovely playsuits, shorts, skirts and dresses in velvet, and will definitely be getting a key piece for Christmas.

No blog post would be complete without one of my greatest loves...Polka Dots! If you've read anything I've done before, or seen my Instagram, you'll know I loooooove Polka Dots, like literally dotty, I gravitate towards anything spotty and dotty.  The good thing about Polka Dots is that it can be worn every season, and always looks timeless and classic, never really goes out of fashion. This dress is one of my favourite staples, looks great with tights and boots, and lovely with heels and red lipstick.

Lace + Velvet = PEFECT WINTER OUTFIT. This is GORGEOUS. I would wear this all day, every day if I could, I think it's beautiful!  Lace is one of my all time favourite materials for clothing, it's classy, yet grungy at the same time, and mixed with velvet, it's perfect for Winter. I think this is a rather dressy piece, but I'm sure with chunky tights, boots and a cardigan you could tone it down a little. I think this is the perfect Christmassy piece, and could be a staple in your wardrobe that you bring out every year.

Tartan! I love tartan, I'm sure i'm partially Scottish (I'm really not, but I do love me some tartan). Tartan is a trend that always come in and out of fashion, and always looks lovely and fun. This skater dress is so cute, and is a real statement, so you'd only really need a plain jacket/boots to complete your look.

Chelsea boots have become my everyday wardrobe staple this Autumn. This pair is from Topshop, and goes with everything, from dresses, to jeans to a skirt, they work with literally anything. You can get Chelsea boots in a few colours, from brown to burgundy, but I think black works with everything and anything.  Definitely one of my wardrobe essentials!

A studded leather jacket! For years now, I've relied heavily on my leather jacket, which always gets better with wear. I have one from Topshop that I bring out every year without fail, and pair with pretty much any outfit. Leather jackets are definitely not the warmest, but worn with a chunky jumper, you can always stay warm, and look good!

Me wearing my chunky tartan scarf! I love scarves, and think they definitely make an outfit more interesting, not to mention they keep you warm!

Kate Moss Matte lipstick by Rimmel - 07.

I love my Kate Moss lipsticks all year, but this matte purple is my favourite at the moment. It's so pigmented, and goes amazingly with all the Winter trends, such as leather, lace, tartan etc.  I wear this lipstick regularly at this time of year, it's so on trend and really makes a statement!

Essie nail varnish in "Berry Hard".

Berry nails are a must when it comes to finishing off your Winter wardrobe. Berry is probably my all time favourite nail varnish shade, and I love it when it's Autumn/Winter as I can wear it! 

I love this time of year, and it's really my favourite time to experiment with fashion, I hope you've enjoyed reading! :)

Coffee 1# first experience!

Peanut Butter hot chocolate , you've guessed it, this is one of the most AMAZING drinks I've ever tasted.

This is from the beautiful coffee shop called Coffee#1, the one I visited was on Cardiff Queen Street, and it was my first visit, and it definitely won't be the last!  I adore coffee shops, in fact, I love all of them, all the big brands such as Starbucks, Cafe Nero and Costa, to the little independent shops, I think it's become such a big selling point, coffee shops are part of lots of everyday lives. 

I'd heard great things about Coffee #1, but was yet to try it myself, but the thought of this amazing drink was the "I must go here now" deciding factor.  Inside the shop was so cosy, and rustic, and the staff were friendly and welcoming! 

The staff told me that as it was the first day they'd started selling the Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate, that I was the first person in that particular branch to have one made for me, I felt honoured! 

It tasted incredibly sweet, and chocolatey, yet velvety and lovely, not at all sickly, it was amazing! 

After my great experience with Coffee#1, I can't wait to return and try more of their drinks!

#coffee #chocolate #peanutbutter #amazing 

1) Why did you create your blog?

I created my blog after watching loads of beauty videos on YouTube, (such as Zoella, Fleur De Force and Tanya Burr), and also I'm a Media, Culture and Journalism student in my second year at University, so as my course/career path is pretty much social media/blogging/reporting, I thought starting a blog about things I love and enjoy was pretty much the next step! I don't do this because I want to be "web famous", it's just for me to express my love for things :)

2) Who is your fashion icon/inspiration?

I take inspiration from so many different things! I am a huge fan of decades such as the 50's/80's, but what I think makes my style is by incorporating from different times, by mixing and matching. Dressing say just from the 50's isn't different, as soooooo many people do so, as with the 80's, but when you say, add a 50's dress, with an acid wash denim jacket from the 80's, you've immediately created your own look, and take on different pieces, I take inspiration from the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's to create my style. I'd say my style is very retro, mixed with a bit of grunge! I love to wear a pretty polka dot dress with say, fishnets and a leather jacket, I'm also a sucker for anything kitsch/cartoon printed! I gravitate towards anything Polka dot, heart, bow and cat printed!  As for my style icons, my main inspiration is definitely Katy Perry, she's the definition of retro kitsch, I just admire her love of fun, yet quirky glamour, and I've always looked at her outfits for inspiration. I'm also highly influenced by Marilyn Monroe, who's my all time pinup idol, she's just the Queen of pinup glamour! Whenever I look at her in films or photos, I am just in awe of her timeless glamour! I also take inspiration from Madonna in the 80's (especially in Desperately Seeking Susan, OMG can I be her?!), Lana Del Rey, Audrey Hepburn, Dita Von Teese, and I also love the glam grunge of the likes of Fearne Cotton, Kate Moss, Debbie Harry, Edie Sedgwick and Taylor Momsen.  It sounds like a hell of a lot to process, but this is genuinely how I get my style inspiration!  My advice is to create your own style by mixing and matching what you love, don't just stick to one form of fashion, add things pinup with grunge, it's way more fun and unique! Also, I really do NOT care about what people think of what I wear, I never have, and if I didn't like it, I wouldn't wear it, so clearly I don't care :)  Another thing which is hilarious strange, is I also admire cartoons like Jessica Rabbit and Poison Ivy for style!

3) What is your favourite makeup brand?

My favourite high street makeup brand is probably Maybelline and Rimmel, and my favourite high end Benefit and Mac.  Maybelline and Rimmel are both just high quality makeup brands, and I also find really new, exciting and professional makeup products, amazing foundations, lipsticks, etc!  My favourite Maybelline products are Dream Matte Mousse foundation and the Mega plush volume mascara, and for Rimmel, it's definitely the Kate Moss lipsticks, Apocalips lip lacquers and the Stay Matte pressed powder.  As for high end, I ADORE my MAC studio fluid fix foundation, and Ruby Woo matte red lipstick, and for Benefit, the "That Gal" primer, and "Ooh la lift" under eye brightening treatment.

4) What is your favourite store?

I gave this question a little thought, and actually realised...Primark! Genuinely after thinking, I realised Primark is definitely the most accessible, affordable way to create fun fashion. Of course, you're going to get snobby people thinking, "what the hell?! I hate Primark", well whatever, because I buy so many good pieces in there all the time, from dresses, to skirts, to tights (why pay £10 for a pair in Topshop, when you can get a pair for the SAME quality, for £2?!), pay for the product, not the brand, Primark is no worse quality than any other high street shop.   I also love Topshop though, I always find beautiful pieces that I love, H&M, New Look, and I also love Urban Outfitters, I love their clothes, along with their little quirky gifts, I always have so much fun looking at them!

5) Your favourite piece of clothing?

Either my Topshop leather jacket, Doc Martens, or one of my tea dresses, they all go well with each other, and are just my go to outfits, when I need a quick, reliable outfit that makes me feel like me!

6) If you could only use one makeup product for the rest of your life, what would it be?

OOOOOOOH, such a tough question! Probably either my Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer, or a classic red lipstick, I really could never live with one makeup product though, please don't let this ever happen!

7) Who is your favourite blogger?

Zoella, or Fleur De Force.

8) Favourite Month?

September through to December, not very decisive I know, but Autumn through to Christmas is definitely my favourite!

9) Favourite song?

Live Forever by Oasis, and Don't you forget about me by Simple Minds. I have so many favourite songs though, I find it hard to narrow down.

10) If you could meet any famous person, dead or alive, who would it be?

Definitely Marilyn Monroe!

Autumn time!

This is my first blog post in a good while, but after starting back my second year at university, lots of my lectures have been surrounded blogging/digital/social media, so I decided to start blogging again, just for the experience!    I love the fact it's Autumn now, it's definitely my favourite season, I love the fact we all know Christmas is approaching in the near future, and Autumn/Winter fashion is definitely my favourite, as it's all about the berry colours, and allows me to express my inner vamp, which looks so wrong in the summer!  Here is a few things I've been loving recently, and what I plan to keep using through the season!

Stay Matte Rimmel foundation in shade - Porcelain Ivory.

This is my Autumn foundation discovery.  I am a magnet for any new makeup releases, it genuinely excites me! So this was a no brainer, especially as I

Lipstick lover!

Hey to whoever may be reading :)  After watching millions of YouTube videos lately, something that has tended to feature rather heavily, is the "favourite lipsticks" style video, which I have undoubtedly been obsessed with watching, as I am a massive lipstick lover.  I wear a mix of high street lipsticks such as Rimmel and Maybelline, thrown in with a few more higher end lipsticks, which I have treated myself to at certain times!  I'm gonna do a list of my favourite high street lipsticks, then the high end ones that I also love, enjoy!

Kate Moss for Rimmel: in shade 01.

My ultimate go to red lipstick, this is THE red lipstick you need on a budget.  I think they cost around £4.50(I think?!), and they are so worth it.  This is the lipstick I wear when I want that classic red lip, as it is highly pigmented, very classic and surprisingly, very wearable for most people!  If you want that classic red lip on a budget, this is the lipstick for you, I also find they are very moisturising.  

Shade 20.

Kate Moss for Rimmel matte range: 107.

These are both my favourite alternative colours for when I want a change from my trusty red lip. The pink shade is, as you can obviously see, incredibly vivid and really makes a statement, whereas the purple, which is from the matte range, is also a very gorgeous colour, probably more suited to somewhere more dressy, and is actually also surprisingly wearable, thumbs up for the Kate Moss lipsticks, they're so fab.

Rimmel "Apocalips" lip laquers.

Another product that has been high on the beauty radar!  I've just realised I've been loving mostly lipsticks by Rimmel, so I praise Rimmel for bringing out some totally brilliant products!  These are great, and as I'm sure you've heard, are extremely popular right now. I own two of these, the red in "Big Bang" and the off duty, muted rose pink in "Celestial" which I, at first was hesitant to try, as I prefer statement lip colours like red, fuchsia pink and purple, but this is a colour I am loving for a daytime, off duty look.  They dry like a lip stain, rather than a tacky gloss, and stay on for a good while. I'm definitely going to be trying more of these!

MUA lipsticks.

A product which is an absolute BARGAIN! These cost the outstanding price of £1, I know right, £1! When I first purchased one of these, in the trusty red of course, I assumed that for the price, they would just be a not very good, to distinctly average product, I was so wrong! These are highly pigmented, last all day, and the colour stays as strong as ever, no fading! I am going to collect most of these, as for a £1, you cannot go wrong, plus I can experiment with colours I'm not that sure of, and for a £1, it doesn't matter!  If you haven't tried one of these lipsticks, I suggest you do so, because for a bargain of £1, they're the best inexpensive lipstick ever!

Soap & Glory matte lipsticks.

Soap & Glory lipsticks, cost around £8, which is not as low costing as some of the other lipsticks I've listed, but these again are so worth it, I'm saying that about everything, but these really are.  They are a matte lipstick, with a powder coat finish, which really makes your lips look amazing, as I think matte lipsticks are so flattering and wearable, they add that pinup/glam edge to your makeup.  I have a fuchsia  pink in this range, and I will definitely be repurchasing more S&G lipsticks, thumbs up!

Revlon lip butters.

I've never spoke about these before, but lately I've been loving them! They're not too pigmented, but leave a lovely colour, as they are a cross between a balm and lipstick, leaving your lips really moisturised and soft! You can get them in lots of different colours, I've got a berry colour, which looks really nice now it's autumn time!  

Onto my favourite higher end lipsticks!

MAC "RiRi woo" lipstick.

This is my FAVOURITE lipstick! This lipstick is part of Rihanna's range for MAC, but it is just a play on of a colour they always stock, being "Ruby woo" instead of "RiRi woo". I'm not a massive fan of Rihanna, but I wanted this lipstick anyway, and it's FABULOUS. If I could only own one lipstick for the rest of my life, this would be it. MAC lipsticks tend to have a sweet scent, which is really lovely, and they literally stay on all day, being highly pigmented and long lasting.  I'm pretty sure Rihanna's MAC collections are limited editions, so if you can't get your hands on this one, "Ruby Woo" is exactly the same shade. They cost £14, which I admit is not exactly cheap, but then £14 isn't THAT bad for a higher end lipstick, definitely worth the money!

Dita Von Teese makeup line for Art Deco.

As a massive fan of the gorgeous Dita Von Teese, her look is AMAZING, she's immaculate.  Dita's known for her glamorous, pinup look, with her statement red lips, so when I received the red lipstick as a gift, I was so happy!  I knew this red lipstick was going to be the best, as it's her signature look, so any product she releases would be reflecting her personal style perfectly.  It's pigmented, stays on hours and if you're a fan of Dita's makeup, her range is perfect for you!

NARS satin lip pencils.

I LOVE these! I love lip crayons, and using this all over your lips really looks amazing.  There's such a wide range of colours to chose from, I love the red, plus the deeper pinks, and I think they are the ultimate treat if you're a lipstick lover! These cost £17.50, so not cheap, but definitely worth it for a treat! There's definitely a colour for everyone.

Well that was probably harder than I thought, especially as I love so many different lipsticks, narrowing it down has been a task!  I'm also keen to own a "Rouge" lipstick by Chanel, as I've heard such rave reviews, and Chanel is the ultimate luxury brand! I love lipsticks, and I'm constantly looking to try more, so let me know what you think! :D

(I do not own these photos). 

Own the throne!

My new favourite perfume, "Killer Queen" by the beautiful Katy Perry. I am an absolutely MASSIVE fan of the amazing Katy Perry, I'm obsessed with her pinup, yet fun style, she's definitely my style icon, plus her classic beauty, and fun, catchy songs.  I must admit, I was initially first attracted to this perfume because I am such a big fan of the Perry herself, but after I tried out the tester, I fell in LOVE with the perfume itself.

The perfume itself: The perfume starts with top notes of blueberry, bergamot and and forest fruits, middle notes of jasmine and frangipani, and then base notes of praline and patchouli, gorgeous! I think this perfume is very fun, yet dark, edgy and sophisticated, perfect for the upcoming Autumn/Winter months!

I really, really, REALLY love this perfume, the scent, the appearance, the longevity, and obviously the beautiful creator of the perfume herself, so if you're a fan of fun, yet sophisticated scents, or just am a big massive Katycat like myself, then this is definitely for you. As Katy would say, own the throne!

(I do not own these photos).

Dupe blog!

Hello, today I'm blogging about some of the products that I've discovered lately, that are actually a dead ringer for some of the more expensive brand products!  I've discovered five different cosmetic items, that are actually dupe products, of some more well known things.  I hope this post may save you money, on a product that is practically identical, for a lot less cost!

The first item is a mint green nail varnish:

MUA's "Pistachio" nail varnish, costing £1 (what?!?!) is a dupe for...

Essie's "Mint Candy Apple", costing £7.99.

I am a huge fan of MUA products anyway, they've featured rather regularly in my previous blog posts, as they are good quality, and excellent value for money, so when I spotted this mint green nail varnish, it was a dead ringer for Essie's well known version.   I am a huge fan of Essie nails, don't get me wrong, but I think the MUA's version, which costs an astonishingly low price of £1, also lasts and looks pretty identical. I found it amazing how I could get the same creamy mint green look that I love from Essie, result!

The second item is a nude eyeshadow palette:

H&M's "Nudes" eyeshadow palette, costing £3.99 is a dupe for...

Urban Decay's "Naked Basics" palette, costing £20.

I own both of these marvellous eyeshadow kits, but when I saw that H&M had their own version of a nude palette, I immediately bought it, even though I already own the Naked Basics. Don't get me wrong, I get that Urban Decay is a very prestigious brand, is very good quality, and like most women, want/need something Urban Decay in my life. BUT, the H&M palette contains very similar shades, and in fact, I prefer the darker brown shade in the H&M palette, to the practically black shade in the Naked Basics palette, as I find brown shadows more wearable, even for a smokey eye, which you'd think would need more black colours.   I definitely am happy to own both, and I wouldn't want one or the other, but I think H&M offer the perfect solution if you're a little strapped for cash, or frankly, just want to save a bit on eyeshadow, to splurge on something else!

The third item is a metallic cream eyeshadow:

17's "Wild Metallic Eyes" cream eyeshadow, costing £3.99, is a dupe for..

Maybelline's "Colour Tattoo" eyeshadow, costing £7.99.

I got this idea from Zoella, one of my favourite beauty bloggers, as she suggested that the 17's version (sold at Boots only, it's a Boots brand), was great if you didn't want to pay the Maybelline price, which is a very good tip, as 17 has produced a very good dupe cream eyeshadow. I bought the shade "Wild Nude", which is a gorgeous, metallic cream eyeshadow, even though I rarely go for any metallic shade, this looks amazing, as I'm obsessed with nude eyeshadows, and this is no exception.  For half the price, try the 17 version even if you're a lover of Colour Tattoo, as it could buy you two eyeshadows in 17, for the price of one!

The fourth item is a highly pigmented powder blush:

Sleek's Blush in the shade "Pixie Pink", costing £4.49, is a dupe for...

NARS blusher in shade "Angelika", costing £21.50.

Granted, these shades are not IDENTICAL, and that's not the reason I've included these into my "Dupe" post, but the products themselves are very similar, plus I'm talking about the actual product, as opposed to the exact same colour.   NARS is a very good high end makeup range,I love browsing at their counter, and I especially love their matte eyeshadows.   One of NARS' staple products have been their well known blushers, which are highly pigmented, good quality and long lasting. However, SLEEK happen to have an extremely similar product, costing around a quarter of the price! When it comes to powder products such as blusher and eyeshadow, I love things that are highly pigmented and strong, so when I trialled the dupe, I found it just as pigmented, and frankly, just as a good!

The fifth and final item is a pencil colour lip balm: 

                                  Rimmel's "Colour Rush" lip balm in shade "The redder the better", costing £5.99 is a dupe for...

Clinique's "Chubby Stick" lip balm, costing £17.

This product is a new release from Rimmel, and as I'm always trying new lipsticks, I was intrigued by the concept of a lip balm, being able to give such a striking, strong colour such as red, which of course, is my all time favourite.   I know Clinique are well known for their famous "Chubby Sticks", but the Rimmel version is so good, and so much cheaper, they are definitely the colour balms to go for on a budget! Clinique are, of course, probably a higher quality, but if you're like me and prefer to experiment with lipsticks, something more inexpensive, allowing you to buy more, and try different colours, rather than just stick to the one that costed you a lot more. I would definitely think of buying a chubby balm by Clinique, but at the moment, I'm satisfied with the moisture, the colour and the experimentation I can have with Rimmel's Colour Rush lip balms!

So there are all my "Dupe" product ideas, that I think are personally very good matches for the more expensive/high end brands I've picked out.  I hope I may have inspired you to try a cheaper alternative, that you will also love, happy duping! :D

(I do not own these pictures)