5 Favourite Clothing Pieces: November

I love fashion all year round but most in the autumn and winter. With all the layering, patterns and deep colours on offer our wardrobes get a complete transformation. I feel that this time of year allows you to be so casually sophisticated. Below I have chosen my five favourite items from November (that are all still in store now) that will see me throughout the whole of Christmas. 

Enjoy! (Please excuse the quality of the images, it was getting progressively darker outside by the second!)

"Rupert the Bear"

New Look - £5.99

The name comes from the fact my Dad calls me Rupert the Bear every time I wear it. This scarf is a winter must have from the gorgeous traditional red tartan to the size, I cannot fault the piece. It is the perfect scarf for shopping because it isn't too thick and if you do get hot, it folds neatly into a bag, unlike last years favourite: the blanket scarf. Red is an excellent colour for the Christmas season and teamed with a black jumper or coat, it is bold and striking and manages to finish a look. For the amazing price of £5.99 it is affordable, bang on trend and an excellent stocking filler!

Coat me in classic 

Primark - £28.00

Of course there was going to be a Primark item, somewhere on this list. Each year, I put myself through the stress of buying a new winter coat. However this year, one shop and I was happy. This gorgeous coat is such a simplistic and classic shape. Due to the removable collar you get two coats in one. The faux fur collar adds the extra winter look, whilst bare the coat is smart and sophisticated. This is definitely a staple piece in my wardrobe! It isn't the thickest of coats but works wonders when I commute as you don't need a thick heavy thing to lug around. I have received numerous compliments on this garment and for £28.00 I couldn't be happier.

Parade them pom poms

ASOS - £40.00

When looking for a pair of knee high boots, I accidentally stumbled across these wonderful creations. I have wanted a pair of pom pom shoes for a while now, but never found a pair to suit my wardrobe. I have altered these slightly by cutting off one pom pom per shoe, I felt a little too snazzy, but now I love them and parade with pride. They are such a lovely heel height with wonderful lace up detailing and a gorgeous suede effect for an effortless chic feel. Thanks to a student discount day I got these for £32.00 but they retail at £40.00. Slightly pricey but a lovely pair of shoes perfect for both casual and dressy events.

Be bold in burgundy

Miss Selfridge - £28.00

I could probably put this item down to an accidental buy but the fact I was looking suggests I wanted to find a new item for my wardrobe. Amazingly I managed to get this dress with 30% off and then a further 10% discount, bargain! I'm really into dresses at the moment. They're so easy to wear, just throw on one item and you're practically ready to go. This dress is actually from the petite section and I love the fit; it is the perfect length for my shortness. It washes excellently, oh and another bonus, it doesn't need ironing! It's a high neck, body-con, burgundy piece that is perfect for this season.

Make it metallic 

New Look- £15.99

I have always loved box bags, they're such a lovely little addition to an outfit and their structure causes them to stand out. What better way to have a stand out bag for this season than a little metallic number? This mirror metallic bag comes in silver, black, gold and pink and is perfect for the party season. Tiny it may be, but I managed to fit all my essentials in it. Have it with the strap for a shoulder bag, much easier for dancing, or pop the strap inside and have it as a clutch, perfect for posing in pictures! At only £15.99 it is a lovely, affordable addition to the bag collection. 

So there you have it, my five favourite, perfect for the season, affordable items. Once again , apologies for the image quality turns out going into your back garden at 4:30pm on a cloudy day doesn't provide the best lighting. None the less, you can see the items I guess and that is the main thing.

Mollie Isabella 

xx

Pucker up: 6 essential shades

For someone that loves fashion as much as I do, my little interest in make-up breaks stereotypes. Whilst most people can pick out the right shade of foundation for their skin and know how to use an eyebrow pencil, my experimenting goes as far as "oooo, what third item can I get in this 3 for 2 offer?" Most people would struggle with picking which item out of the seven in their hand to choose as their free thing, I would struggle at finding three items in the first place.

If anyone was to ask me how to apply foundation, the idea behind concealer or how to contour I wouldn't even know where to begin. Realistically this could be a good thing as the amount of money I save is amazing. However I do feel as though I am secluding myself from the whole make-up world.

One thing I love and could not live without is lipstick. The creation that manages to transform an outfit immediately, compliment skin tones, complete a look. Below I have chosen my key lipsticks for this season. With dark purple being my favourite shade all year round, red being the perfect Christmas colour and a beige/pink adding a more subtle feel to a look, these lipsticks are affordable and spot on for the autumn/winter!

#1 Vamp it up -A couple of plums

Rimmel London 128 Starry Eyed
Maybelline Colour Sensational Lip Liner 540 Hollywood Red

Why I love it: I laid my eyes on this lipstick over a year a go and have never looked back. This is my go to lipstick for all occasions, come rain or shine. It is a gorgeous deep, purple shade and to achieve a more intense colour I use Maybelline Colour Sensational Lip Liner, shade 540 Hollywood Red across the whole lip. It is a long lasting, easy to apply, affordable lipstick that I suggest you get for your make up bag. Come on girls the party season is coming, team this with an LBD or glittery number and you're ready. 

What's not so good: Okay, I'm struggling to find a point here. I guess the only thing I could say is that it bleeds slightly but nothing ridiculously noticeable. I'm staying loyal to this lipstick. 

Price: Lipstick: £4.99 Lip liner: £3.99  

Mark out of 5: Got to be a 5/5

Barry M Super Satin Slick Lip Paint 171 

Why I love it: This is a new edition to my lipstick collection and is one of Barry M's new Satin Super Slick Lip Paints. I was super excited to try them out and I am super glad that I did. The glide you get from the lipstick is incredible and it is so soft on the lips. It is a gorgeous pinky-plum shade that I know will see me through all seasons. The main stand out point it the texture, never known a lipstick like it! 

What's not so good: It isn't very long lasting so I think I need to get a lip liner to accompany. But I don't mind reapplying, at least it doesn't stain. 

Price: £4.49

Mark out of 5: I'm going to go with a 3.5/5 for this one! 

#2 Rudolf the red lipped reindeer-My two go to lip smacker reds

Loreal Collection Exclusive by Blake

Why I love it: 'Blake' has created a very bright and striking shade of red. More for going out, teamed excellently with black. I love, love, love Loreal lipsticks-firstly because of the variety, secondly because of the smell and thirdly because of the packaging. This is not a shade if you like subtle but is definitely one to pull out when wearing a dark outfit. I love the texture and the coverage you get and it remains on your lips for a loooooong time! 

What's not so good: It makes your lips slightly dry, I think due to the thick texture. So just make sure to Vaseline once you've removed. 

Price: £6.99*

Mark out of 5: This one has to be 4/5  

Loreal Collection Exclusive by Eva

Why I love it: From the same collection, 'Eva' has created a more subtle and 'dull' shade of red, more suitable if you don't want your lips to be too striking. This is better for an every day look, again smells fantastic and the packaging is lovely. This will be lovely for the Christmas season and provides excellent coverage. 

What's not so good: Same point as above, dries the lips out slightly but it was expected as it's from the same collection! 

Price: £6.99*

Mark out of 5: It has to score 3.5 because I prefer a more striking look! 

#3 Plain Jane- A duet of sickly sweet shades

Loreal Color Riche 302
Loreal Lip Liner Couture, Color Riche, 302 Bois de Rose

Why I love it: Another Loreal lipstick to add to the collection, this time a lot more subtle and an excellent casual shade for when you want to wear lipstick but not be too dressy. The thing I love about this is that you get two colours for the price of one. With the lip liner, Couture by Color Riche, shade 302 Bois de Rose, you get a subtle, sophisticated deep pink shade. Without the liner a more glittery finish. You get a lovely thick coverage from a soft lipstick that glides on perfectly.

What's not so good: Without the lip liner, you need to constantly reapply.

Price: Lipstick: £6.99* Lip liner:£3.99

Mark out of 5: Only due to the reapplying it needs to be 3.5/5

Barry M Super Satin Slick Lip Paint 168

Why I love it: Another shade from the Barry M Satin Super Slick Lip Paint Collection, this time in a gorgeous neutral beige. I couldn't get over how easy it was to apply this lipstick due to the texture. I think this is a shade that you would have to try for yourself due to your skin tone but I was shocked that such a light colour worked with my pale skin. Just like the other one, the texture is what makes this an essential for your makeup bag. Your lips are left feeling healthy as opposed to dry and chapped.

What's not so good: Unfortunately my lipstick literally fell to pieces. I don't know whether it was due to my poor man handling or because the texture was so soft it literally melted. However I shall be re-purchasing because I love it. 

Price: £4.49

Mark out of 5: Has to be 4/5 even though it is destroyed. 

*prices may vary depending on where you purchase the item from. 

Well those are six shades that I definitely recommend, lipsticks are such a lovely finishing touch to an outfit. With Christmas coming up, they're affordable and an excellent stocking filler. 

Thank-you for reading, 

Mollie Isabella 

xx 

Please take me to the 1960's.

There is a huge part of me that wishes we all had to dress like they did in the 60's. That the only thing River Island and New Look stocked were shift dresses and we all asked our hairdressers for the beehive. Effortlessly we could all walk around with our matching dress and boot combination, white eyeliner and big earrings. However, it is 2015. Could you imagine the looks I would get if I turned up to a lecture with a humongous beehive do, some white boots and a cute green and blue checkered dress-I dread to think.

Luckily though, like with most things, the 60's look is coming back but with the added spin of the 21st century. Think mini skirts, knee high boots and bold prints! Now that I go to university, my shopaholic and spending ways have been put on hold. No longer can I go for huge hauls, or just buy something whenever I feel like it. Instead, I have to save up and be strict. It was all going so well until a trip to Forever 21 in the Bullring sent my shopping senses wild. When I saw this dress it was one of those moments where you see something and there is practically a glowing light around it, drawing you in. Never do I end up buying the first thing I see, until the very moment I handed it over at the counter and spent my food shop money on a dress. Walking out, swinging the neon pink bag by my side, I realised that realistically this was a good purchase because there is no other item like this in my wardrobe and it also gives me the excuse to blog, woo!

I must admit though, it was £19.00 well spent, £17.10 after student discount (perks, perks!). In this outfit, it is teamed with a long sleeved top underneath, because all of a sudden the temperature has drastically dropped and just a sleeveless dress will not do. However as it starts to get warmer, it will work perfectly on its own. Paired with knee high socks and ankle boots, in some ways gives off the impression of knee high boots (sigh I'm too poor to own any right this mo, also too short. Can short people wear them too?) but it would also work well with some heels, chunky or thin depending on your 'walking in heels' ability, which for me is almost non existent. I finished the look with my cute Camden Market burgundy and beige satchel.

I have always been prone to rosy cheeks, literally throughout the whole year. One time, I was asked why I wore so much blusher. Blusher? My friend, this is natural. As I started exiting the grounds I could feel a burning freezing sensation on my cheeks. My fingers numb from the cold. This is Autumn. Isn't it crazy how fast this year has gone, how we are in yet another Autumn, soon to be a Christmas soon to be a new year. As I walked along the grass, my feet causing the fallen leaves to crunch, my eyes clocked onto the cute little squirrel scurrying in the distance. I then spotted another five, me and my Dad were suddenly the minority, this did not feel cool. One day I will grow up, one day I shall like animals I am sure and one day I will blog fear free, aha!

The last thing I want to mention is my super cute Lucky Little Acorn necklace. The message and idea behind the item is so wonderful and it was brought for me as a good luck for uni present by my boyfriend. You can get them personalised with names or initials and it is such a wonderful present, the perfect idea for a Christmas present. They are available on both a short and long chain and in a keyring style and I seriously recommend you get one. I wear mine with literally everything. Follow the link shown below to find out more about the product!

Dogtooth Dress- £19.00 Forever 21
Ankle Boots- Primark £10.00
Acorn Necklace- £12.00 Lucky Little Acorns
Knee High Socks available in most high street retailers.
Bag, a bespoke shop at Camden Market.

Thank-you for reading, 

Mollie Isabella 

xx

Three Weeks at Uni

The past three weeks of my life have tested me more than anything ever has before. As a very family orientated person who could not be described as independent, along with being a fussy eater and scared of all most everything, I was packing my stuff up and moving to Birmingham to start University. Okay, it is only just an hour away from home but that is an hour further than I have ever lived from my family, boyfriend and bestfriend.

Armed with my 'how to clean a toilet kit', jars of food I had never cooked before and washing powder tablets to wash my clothes with I said goodbye, clenched my lips together to stop my tears and walked away from a distraught dad as he watched his little girl start the next chapter of her life without him by her side every step of the way. 

Turns out though, thanks to Whatsapp, my parents are with me every step of the way. I call them before I cook to ensure I am not going to poison myself, I send them a picture of the meal I have prepared and then I update them on how it tasted. Along with checking I am using the right cleaning equipment in the bathroom, complaining about the hoover, sending them pictures of my outfits, updating them on nights out, moaning about stress (already), updating them on the weather, the progress of my house plant, my health, my boyfriend, my bestfriend, my lack of sleep, the spider smeared on my wall, the flies in the kitchen, my 7 day long life milk, my odd socks, my comfy bed- you get the gist right?

Turns out when you're left on your own, it is quite easy becoming independent. The strange thing is, I actually enjoy cooking, the thing that is even stranger is I actually enjoy cleaning. I have literally the best rubber gloves on this planet, bright red gloves with a floral trim and an extremely over sized flower on the wrist-you have to be stylish even when you clean. Whilst my meals have been big enough to feed the whole flat and not just me, cooking one portion sized meals is not something I have completely mastered yet. I think one of the hardest things I have faced is living on a budget-with no income now, I really have had to limit myself and with a view of the Bullring from my window, each morning when I open my curtains I am reminded of the clothes I could have but can't. 

I'm not going to lie, almost every situation you are put in for the first week is completely surreal. Meeting my flat mates was one thing I was dreading. After speaking on Facebook for many weeks before, we already knew bits about each other. But what if they didn't like me when they actually met me in person? It is confirmed 5 house mates (plus one we have adopted from the ground floor) all with completely different personalities, hobbies, likes and dislikes can form a functional family. After the first night out together, it felt as though we had known each other for months already. Now sharing a bed, watching Great British Bake Off and crying alongside Ian, is a completely normal situation. 

I feel already in three weeks, as a person I have changed for the better. I mean I went into the kitchen in my Monster's Inc P'js, wearing no makeup, with my hair scraped into a bun, ON MORNING ONE. Now for anyone that knows me, you will know how massive that is! There have been some days that have been tough and all I have wanted is a cuddle from my parents and a good night sleep- the benefit of living only an hour away hey! I just need to realise that having a small wobble isn't me failing, it is me being human. Sometimes you can feel so lonely, even when living with four other people, sometimes everything just all gets on top of you. But a visit home, a Chinese in front of the TV and some good nights sleep and I am all refreshed and ready to tackle the week ahead.

Right that is enough Uni talk, onto the outfit. Yay autumn is here, my favourite fashion season. The return of rich, warm colours and my all time favourite CHUNKY boots. Talking of chunky boots, I own a new pair, these gorgeous burgundy ankle ones! Now on a ten pound budget it was never going to happen but my fairy godmother arrived, in the style of my bestfriend James and paid for half, allowing me to take them home and put them in my wardrobe. Teamed with my new favourite staple, this ever so simple denim pinafore dress. Another gift from James as a going to Uni present. Basically I better give him some credit or this outfit would have never happened, thanks James! Underneath the dress is a lovely long sleeved, buttoned back top with an autumnal fox print all over it. I love autumnal animals, foxes, squirrels, owls, deers-just another reason to love Autumn. Finished with a fringed bag, perfect all year round and some burgundy feather earrings. 

Burgundy Boots- Primark £18.00

Denim Pinafore Dress- ASOS £30.00

Fox Print Top- H & M £12.99

Bag is from Spain and I have had my earrings for so long, I cannot remember where I got them from. Similar ones can be purchased currently at New Look.

Thank-you very much for reading. I am going to do my best to upload onto my blog as much as possible, mixing both fashion and university together! 

Mollie Isabella 

xx

My Denim Dungarees

The sky wore a slight grey colour. The leaves have started to make their descent to the ground. There wasn't just a slight breeze, more of a bitter wind. My two yellow sunflowers standing out from everything; their sunshine yellow- such a gorgeous feel good colour. I felt quite guilty taking them from the vase at home but they were the perfect finishing touch. The pretty parts of England are so green, every imaginable shade. "I really should get out more often!"

However this positive thinking was immediately destroyed as a swan made a terrifying dash towards me from across the field. Okay, it was like all the way on the other side, but boy can they fly-fast and aggressively. I got my weekly exercise as I made a run for it. "Okay, this is why you stay indoors!"

***

I always love looking through fashion magazines and in shops and seeing old styles come back. You know the 60's mini skirts, the fur coats, platform sandals... it allows our parents to see the clothes they once loved on their children. It must be such a time capsule, such a moment of reliving the past. The return of the dungarees though is taking me back, to the back garden days, paired with my pink floral docs and an over sized jumper, digging in the dirt, aged 5 and not having a care in the world. 

Denim is such a staple at the moment. Whether you're sporting the ripped jeans, the A-line skirt, pinafore or a t-shirt dress. Denim is such a versatile item, layered, doubled - do what you please, you pretty much get a way with it! When I saw the return of the dungarees I wondered if I could pull off the look... I mean at the short height of 5ft and a quarter of an inch, I don't have much to work with. 

I plucked up the courage to try some on and was super happy with the results. Firstly they are a lovely colour, fitted perfectly and are probably one of the comfiest items of clothing I have ever put on. So worry filled my head-What if people make comments and what if people laugh? And then I came to the sudden realization that I DO NOT CARE. I am who I am and therefore I will wear what I want. Since wearing them, people have commented on how much they liked them and asked where they can get a pair. Well the answer to that is Gap, retailing at £54.95. I urge you to go and try them on, you will not be disappointed. Dungarees are a fashion statement acceptable from birth to old age!

"I'm free."

The possibilities are endless. Whether you want to be casual or dressy, you have the chance to pair dungarees with so much. Just be creative and brave. On a night out, pair with a cute black crop top and black platform heels and a patterned clutch. Or swap for a long sleeved lace top for more texture! For a super slouchy look, go for a pair of high top converse and a baggy top. For an every day look, try a plain fitted top, necklace and ankle boot combination. The best clothing pieces are the ones that you can style in different ways. 

To achieve this look I have gone for a simple burgundy long sleeve, off the shoulder top. Already hitting the autumnal shades, I know, but I am so excited for next seasons fashion! I kept accessories minimal with a chain and coin silver choker and a beige and black shoulder bag! The one thing I have been struggling with is finding the perfect handbag to complete this look, so if you have any suggestions please let me know! On my feet are my new favourite pair of boots. These gorgeous leopard print ankle height boots are super comfy and so versatile. They have been the finishing touch to so many outfits and a perfect clashing piece! All teamed together with my wonderfully comfy dungarees!
Denim Dungarees- £54.95 Gap
Leopard Print Boots- £10 Primark
Burgundy Off The Shoulder Top- £4 Primark
Two Tone Bag- £7 Primark
Chain and Coin Choker- £10 Miss Selfridge

Everything will be changing so much in the next few weeks as I move from home to University and start the biggest chapter of my life so far. Blogging is something that I really want to continue and will hopefully have the time and facilities to do it more.

Please give any feedback you have and please try on a pair of dungarees hehe! 

Thank-you for reading,

Mollie Isabella 

xx