Item of the Month: January 2016

Item of the Month: January 2016 (I'm a week late, shhh!) Kate Moss: Shade 48 Brown Lipstick

I absolutely love flicking through the pages of fashion magazines, absorbing the different styles and trends our high street stores will soon be blessed with. I gaze in awe at how the new pieces are being styled, taking inspiration and trying to adapt the new looks to fit my wardrobe. I'm usually one to flick the entire make-up section without even having a glance because 1) I refuse to pay the prices (I mean come on £40 for moisturizer?) and 2) I am not blessed with the talent to create the looks.

However, a range of magazines were covering the same look: the 90's brown lip, one I had never considered. It is a colour, that confused me- can pale skin people get away with it? What hair type does it go with? I don't dress like I'm in the 90's so will it work? I wanted to find a drugstore alternative to all the designer, luscious browns slapped across the magazine pages. 

After searching endlessly, and creating a wonderful patchwork of swabs on my hand, the whole thing just became slightly overwhelming. I mean, I didn't have many to choose from but some had a shimmer, some were a light brown, others near black. In the end I went for the Kate Moss: Shade 48 and I shall never turn back. Not only is is a gorgeous shade of brown that compliments my skin tone but it glides on perfectly and doesn't dry out your lips. With it being under a fiver, who could say no? 

Whilst it went well with my light ginger hair, now that I am a brunette again, I am even more pleased with the results. I can fully understand why it was such a big trend in the 90's and am ever so grateful that it has made it's return. I fully recommend that you try this colour and even if it isn't a shade you would normally go for, I think you will be swayed.

By night, team with a full black outfit for a deep, chic look. It compliments black well, creating a more mysterious element to your makeup. 

By day, wear with denim and a cute slogan tee. It makes the outfit look more mature and sophisticated whilst still having a playful feel.

It is my Item of the Month for many reasons and it doesn't break the bank. I seriously recommend you try this as you will not be disappointed. 

Well there you go, my first Item of the Month post. Whilst it was tricky to choose the item, I think this is a worthy winner. Thank you for reading!

Mollie Isabella 

xx

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 

Inside My Bedroom...

The four small walls of my bedroom, have seen and heard a lot (metaphorically-my walls are not alive!) From the dreadful hairbrush singing, to the "I have nothing to wear" tantrums, the tossing and turning when I could not sleep, the gossip from sleepovers and the time I drew on my Winnie the Pooh rug, aged 4 and blamed it on my brother, woops.
It is fair to say my room has grown with me and has experimented with its appearance a fair few times. From wonderful matching borders, to a Punky Fish ensemble, my poor room has been the victim to some awful accessorizing.

There is only so much you can do with a room that consists of a wardrobe that can't budge and a bed that won't fit anywhere else. Stuck with the same layout in my room, since I could sleep in a single bed, it was beginning to get very tedious. So everything has remained in the same position, however my humble abode has had a severe make-over. Be gone the white tac, picture splattered walls, cluttered shelves and make-up stained carpet!

This time I have gone for a fresh feeling, happy environment. Through the use of light colours, white accessories and a couple of cute plants my room is now a place, I actually enjoy spending time in.

Yes I admit it, I tidied it all, especially for you.

 Sometimes you just need little positive quotes to get you through the day- positioned perfectly on my door, so I see them when I exit. I'm still trying to find the perfect item to hang from the owl door hooks!

All three items from a bespoke shop in my town- Fifth Corner (Items may be able to be sourced from Sass and Belle)

I've always wanted a throw at the end of my bed. It makes your room all the more cosy. I love the patchwork throws available but searched long and hard to find the perfect pastel theme one. It has a wonderful scallop hem and now you can purchase matching pillows!

Patchwork Throw-Primark £17.00

I have really enjoyed sourcing cushions from all over the place, visualizing what it will all look like in my head and being overly satisfied with the results. I know cushions like this should be for display only, but the blue cushion is the reason for many comfy nights sleep! 

"All you need is love" cushion-Asda £7/8.00

Fluffy heart cushion-Primark £3.00

Bunting cushion cover- Dunelm £5.00

Blue cushion- Ikea £6.00

I wanted my cushions to be the focal point so went for a plain white duvet with simple lace detailing. It isn't the most practical colour for a duvet but it looks super chic when crisp white. 

Lace trim duvet-Primark £11.00 

I've always been one to take pictures wherever I go. They capture a split second and allow you to keep it forever. Half of my bedroom walls were filled to the brim with photo's but I felt it started to look scruffy, with the peeling edges and discoloured images. I needed a way to continue displaying my favourite pictures and what was better than a piece of string and cute crafty pegs?

Pegs- Hobbycraft £1.00

String-Hobbycraft £3.00

Yay, I created a feature wall. I loved the idea of using mismatched frames to create a centerpiece. I really love the idea of different sizes, colours, textures and styles but I wanted my feature wall to be predominately white to match my theme. I kept the patterns subtle and hope to build on it as the months go on. 

Wooden heart frame-Matalan £3.00

Love frame-Asda £2.00

Cut out floral frame-Ikea £4.00 each

Pink and grey floral frame-Ikea £4.00

Rope frame-Dunelm £4.99 sale  

Selection of plain white frames- Ikea £2.00-£4.00

Another main element of my room, is the decoration on my bedside table. The main feature is the stunning flash camera lamp. It was the first thing I got for my room and is such a unique and bold piece. My love for cacti is also displayed. I do not know what gave me the idea to put a cactus in a polar bear mug but I love the juxtaposition! 

Black camera lamp- Debenhams £55.00

Polar bear mug-Debenhams £7.00 

Glass milk bottle-Ikea 60p-£1.00

Orange flower- Wilkinson's 60p-£1.00

Cactus in pot-Wilkinson's £1.50

White shelf-Ikea £2.00

"Enjoy the little things" glass picture-Bespoke home ware shop £2.00

There is a tiny gap between my drawers and mirror, which is the perfect place to store some things ( I have so much, every possible storage element in my room, is filled to the brim). Here is just a little mishmash of items, that i think look quite nice together. 

Ed Sheeran "A visual Journey"- Tesco's £9.99

"The Curious Baretender"- Birthday Present 

2015-2016 diary-Tesco's £1.25

"I have the simplest tastes" box-Fifth Corner (bespoke shop) £6.00 sale

Tea light holder-Primark £1.50

Tea bag holder (used as a ring dish)-Dunelm £1.99

Perfect picture to put inside a television box. "Let me out!"

Television box photo frame- Pink Squirrel (bespoke shop) £1.00 sale

Button M- Handmade

I needed somewhere in my room that I could put a mirror and add some other little items. I found this wonderful little stall and let it all take shape from there. This gorgeous parrot vase is going to be for my uni room but I couldn't leave it in storage till then.

Dark wood stall- Ikea £20.00

Converse Plant-A gift 

Wooden M-Matalan £3.00

White framed mirror-Matalan £8.00

Pin up doll pot-Asda £3.00

Parrot Vase-Marks and Spencers £29.50

Floral folder-Tescos £2.00

Cactus Pen- Ale-Hop (in Spain) approx. £1.50

The newest edition to my room (my room has been almost ready since May) is this wonderful cream 3D rose light. I would love to have a HUGE chandelier but my room is far too small. This is the perfect substitute, it's subtle and pretty! 

Rose lampshade- Dunelm £9.99

The final item is this tiny plaque that my Mum bought me the other day. It is such a strong message to send to someone. I may be going to Uni and facing a number of challenges but the most important thing is to bee myself. I love the bright yellow background and bee pun, as lame as it is!

Bee plaque-Sass and Belle £1.99

I took a slight gamble blogging about something else, so I hope you enjoyed it! I will be doing another 'tour' of homeware items once I have moved into my uni room. Thank-you for reading yet again...

Mollie Woodley 

xxxx