Fashion and Beauty Lessons: 2015

On the 31^st December each year, we reflect on the past 364 days and whether we crammed as much in the year as we hoped and try to remember the New Year’s resolutions we made and broke in week one. 2015 was definitely a roller coaster to say the least and has opened my eyes, with numerous lessons being learnt about life and myself. I went from planning my entire life, to having no plan at all in three months. I have been brave, I have been heartbroken and I have been lost. However I have been so proud, so happy and so loved.

One thing I want to reflect on, is what I have learnt in 2015 based on fashion and beauty. To say the least, I have made many fashion mistakes in my time and I probably still make them today. I seem to get drawn to ugly items of clothing, well unique is good right? Gone are the days where I wore spotty tights, clashing with a heart printed over size cardigan matched with ankle socks and grey pumps. Thank you lord.

Below are some lessons I learnt this year- accompanied by previous blogging pictures:

1: Red lips are literally suitable for all occasions, come rain or shine. Paired with a floral print in the summer or an entirely black outfit in the winter, it gives a different feel but works every time. L’Oreal Blake is my all-time favourite red shade! 

 2: Be bold and take risks, whether it be with your clothing, your hair or makeup. People tend to take note when you make a more drastic change and come on let’s face it, we all love a compliment. This year I embraced a new hair colour, whilst returning to my ‘I don’t care what you think about my outfit’ attitude.

3: Buy staple, sensible items that will fit into your wardrobe. I throw out so many clothes and it has taken me to the age of 19 to realise that really it is down to my bad shopping habits. Instead of buying those bright pink shoes I could wear to one occasion, why not buy the black ones that can be worn all the time. All hail the leather skirt that I wear all year round. This is my second version of the same skirt!

4: A strong, sturdy, reasonable sized handbag is worth so much more than that little bag that can only fit your purse and phone in. No girl should ever have to choose between her lipstick and inhaler. 

5:Winged eye-liner is not a talent that can be learnt. You’re either born with the skill or you’re not. I am unfortunately not blessed with this talent and have to battle daily in a hope to leave the house on time with an okay, semi presentable flick. If there are tips out there, please share?

6:All black everything with the exception of white for my favourite trend of monochrome. It is effortless and so easy to wear. In my young teenage years I could never understand why my mum wore full black outfits outside of a funeral, now I am on the all black everything/monochrome bandwagon and I refuse to get off, until it reaches above 30 degrees! 

7:Simple jewellery still says a lot. I used to be one for big statement necklaces, dangly earrings and junk jewellery rings but in the year of 2015 I gained the lazy attitude and decided that I couldn’t be bothered wasting my time picking out the items to match my outfit. Instead I opted for a more simplistic look, of my every day Pandora rings and my Lucky Little Acorn Necklace which complement each outfit perfectly.

This year I shall make no new years resolutions because I know I won't stick to them. Whilst eating healthily and exercising more will be extremely beneficial, I refuse to count calories and say no to a brownie. For the first time ever I have no plan for the year ahead. Nothing is set in stone, instead I am on a free journey, waiting to see what life brings me. So here is to 2016, a year of no plans, just an undecided journey. 

Thanks for reading, 

Mollie Isabella 

xx 

MONOCHROME

If in doubt, I shop. If I'm not in doubt, I shop. Basically no matter what the situation, I shop.  This time the situation was holiday shopping-with a two week break arriving soon I need to purchase some new summer clothing that will work wonders abroad. You know the essentials- denim shorts, sun hat, beach bag and a variety of tops. Now on a budget the best place to go is Primark- you can get some pretty unique pieces and the prices are spot on! 

So I headed to Primark with a sensible list of things to get. It was all going so well, until I walked into the store and got completely distracted. I must admit I am very disappointed in myself. 

Did I purchase anything for my holiday? Urm, kind of. 

Did I need anything that I purchased? Urm, no but they were sooooooo nice!

I place the basket drowned in black and white items onto the counter. "That's £46 then please." You know when you get to the till and don't expect the items to come to the amount they do and you have that little moment where you feel guilty, like you're draining your credit card of life and buying things that are not needed, not essential, not right. Yeah, well I had that moment. It lasted for a brief couple of seconds until I put my card in and waltzed out the store with a Primark paper bag full of goodies.  

So forget all the bright colours and welcome the sophisticated MONOCHROME trend into my somewhat 'summer' wardrobe. Two pairs of shoes, two bags and one top later and I'm more in love with the monochrome trend than I have ever been before. 

ITEM 1: 

I purchased these beauties for only £14. I found them shoved in a pile on the floor and knew I needed to give them a new home. The platform and chunky heel means these shoes are very comfortable and give added height whilst still looking casual. The ankle strap means they stay put and I love the two leather straps that go over your foot. The shoes, although they may not look it, are extremely light. I can't fault them whatsoever. 

ITEM 2:

 All hail these white, leather small heeled shoes. This perfect concoction is a dream come true. The gorgeous bright white leather causes these shoes to look sophisticated. They can be worn both casual or for a more dressed up look (I've already worn them to a wedding and my feet remained comfortable all night, many thanks to the extra padding provided under the ball of the foot.) This style of shoe is a wide fit but in all honesty I didn't really see a difference. The subtle gold buckle, strap across the toes and perfect height heel makes these shoes a serious must have. They're only £12, like seriously, that's amazing!

ITEM 3:

I welcome you here to the bag I have not put down. This cute little monochrome rucksack has caught my eye for some time now. It is so bold and simple making it so effortlessly stylish. I love the split in colours, the comfortable straps and the handy size that it is. The only downfall being, I try to cram so much into it that the zip down the middle makes it quite hard to get things out. However I have not stopped using it. It goes with everything. This masterpiece is only £8-oh yes. 

ITEM 4:

Okay, so the main idea of it, is that it is a camera bag but its the perfect size for my purse, phone, lipstick and comb making it the perfect bag for when I pop out. Again the design is so simplistic and the gold chain and zip add an extra element to the overall look. With an adjustable strap you can tailor it to the look of your outfit. This will be perfect on holiday when I need to take my camera out as it fits in perfectly and isn't bulky at all. Due to the monochrome trend it goes with everything. It's dainty, bold and different-coming in at only £6. 

ITEM 5:

This is the most 'holiday' worthy item that I bought. I thought it would look stunning over my swimming costumes on the beach (check out my swimwear sensation post). I love fringing, whether it's on a bag, skirt, top or shoes. The fringing on this is the perfect length and I love the lace detailing. It is the perfect throw over to transform an outfit. For a different look I paired with a pair of jeans and a black tank top. It's very versatile and at only £6 it's a bargain!

5 pieces which make up my monochrome collection- All for £46 all from the amazing Primark. 

Thanks for reading, 

Mollie Isabella