Basically Chic

The summer is all but over and what a glorious one we had this year. Let's hope we get a repeat performance next year. However with a change in weather comes a change in my choice of clothing. The one material I feel you can wear all year round is jersey material. It is my go to material, my little bit of all season fashion comfort. But comfort doesn't have to mean dull, unstylish or shabby, which so often is the case. Most of the high street stores worth their weight in gold have a section dedicated purely to simple jersey pieces. Garments ranging from basic t-shirts and vests to dresses, trousers and skirts. Easy pieces you can just throw on and go. 

Necklace  & Earrings - Topshop; Watch - Storm; Crop Top and Harems - H&M; Trainers - Addidas Shelltoe

These same pieces can also be dressed up with a few choice accessories to give a more dressier look.

Previous garments as before; Blazer, Belt and Shoes - H&M

The same pieces can be taken from day to night.

Jewellery as before; Jersey Midi Dress, Leather Jacket and Bag - H&M; Trainers - Addidas Shelltoe

Jewellery and Jersey Midi as before; Sandals - Primark

The look of a simple midi dress can be changed dramatically by adding a jacket.

All as before.

B xx

MAC Mineralize Moisture SPF Foundation

I suffer from the most ridiculously dry and sensitive skin. Apart from my T-zone every other part of my body is like fine grain sandpaper if I don't moisturise on a daily basis.

A couple  of months ago I saw that MAC had launched a new liquid foundation which is aimed at us ashier skinned beauties. Up until the Mineral Moisture SPF foundation, MAC had produced very few options of foundation that would work well with dry skin. There is the Studio Tech which is a thick and creamy full coverage makeup  But if like myself you hate the feeling of anything too heavy on your face, this foundation is only an option if you have the time to faff about thinning it down with other products. 

MAC Studio Tech Foundation

Recently I've been favouring Face & Body, a brilliant liquid foundation which can be worn with just a really light layer giving a beautifully sheer coverage or it can be built up to give a medium coverage. Face and body works really well with my skin and once it sets leaves me with a fantastically glowing (not shiny) finish. 

MAC Face and Body Foundation

Before Face & Body my foundation of choice for years was Studio Fix Foundation Powder, which is actually usually recommended for those with oilier skins but for some reason works incredibly well on my combination to dry face.

Mac Studio Fix Powder Plus

For the past few months I've been using Mac's newest foundation offering, Mineral Moisture SPF foundation. On first application I was decidedly worried as my skin looked as if I'd mixed it with baby oil and vaseline at the same time, not a good look. However my worries were quickly squashed. Once this foundation sets it looks amazing. It really is a second skin leaving you with a subtle glow and no shine. This is most definitely my new MAC crush.

MAC Mineralize Moisture SPF Foundation

To all my dry skin beauties I say get on board, this is definitely a winner.

B xx

Summer Goodies

The summer sales are finally here, YAAAAAAAY!!!!! Time to get out there and hunt for those bargains. Topshop, Miss Selfridges and my second home, H&M have all gone big. I still need to get down to Zara, New Look and River Island to see what they're saying.

Here's a top I picked up yesterday from Topshop sale for a fiver.

Earrings, cropped vest, acid wash jeans and trainers - Topshop; Belt - H&M

I'll be posting photos to my Instagram later today of how this top can be worn just as well with a skater skirt showing that thirty most definitely don't mean thugly.

B xx

My Samsung Galaxy S4

After months of research and a hell of a lot of patience I finally got my Samsung Galaxy S4. That was just over a month ago now and I can honestly say I fell in love instantly. 

The last time I had a Samsung phone was well over 4 years ago and it most definitely was not smart albeit a good phone.

The phone comes in this wood effect box. I also received a welcome manual which contained my mini sim card, the same as the one that is used in iphones and some HTCs.

Inside the box I received the phone, a usb/charger cable and plug and 2 quick start manuals.

I have to say that this phone has exceeded my expectations and then some. I've now got to the point where I very rarely have to turn my laptop on as l can now do pretty much everything from my phone including keeping up to date with my blogs and Instagram. 

I have been able to link everything up to my google account which means that even my saved and favourited pages from my laptop are accessible from my phone and vice versa.

I've found the internet to be quite fast on this phone and nearly all of the pages open in the same view you'd expect from a PC.

The Air features are great and it means I only have to swipe my hand across to veiw the next page or photo. There is also a function that enables you to scroll down an email and certain web pages Just by using your eyes.

This phone boasts an amazing 13mp rear camera and a 2mp front camera. It not only takes great photos but also has excellent video filming qualities. 

The media players are also exceptionally good with HD quality video player, its actually better than my TV.

There is still so much about this phone I am still learning about and I am only just hitting the tip of the iceberg.

B xx

Thirty Don't Mean Thugly

One of the reasons I started this blog was because I was finding very few that I felt I could really relate to mainly because of my age and economic status. 

So many of these blogs are being written by 20-26 year olds, many of which are fresh out of uni and just starting their professional career or even still studying. Their blogs are very good but not quite relevant to me, a well established mid 30 year old who is very conscious of not wanting to look like mutton dressed as lamb. This being said I feel it's equally as important that just because I am in my mid thirties that I don't fall into the trap of dressing like a grand mother, something I see so many falling into the habit of doing especially after having a family.

It doesn't even need to be a great expense. Dig deep into those wardrobes.  Is there something from a while back that can be revived by a quick purchase from Primark or a high street store special offer.

There are now so many ways to make your wardrobe feel current whilst still maintaining your own personal style.  However this doesn't mean you should be holding onto the dogs in your wardrobe, that's what the charity shops are for.  Be brutally honest with yourself, is there any garment in your clothing repertoire that just isn't suited to your body shape any more or even worse, ever before. if the answer is yes then it's time to get rid.

Here's a few looks I've been rocking this month. I dug deep into my wardrobe to revive a few golden oldies with a few of my newer pieces.

This is how I do cropped tops.
Earings, necklace, cropped T and trainer  - Topshop; Bangles and ring - H&M;Skirt - River Island

Love a bit of flower power legwear.

Jewellery - As before; Jumper, vest and leggings - H&M; Boots - Topshop

Time for a bit of spray on acid wash jean action.

Ear rings, bangles, ring, scarf, belt,  blazer and boots - H&M; Top and jeans - Topshop; Watch - Storm

B xx

Neck Candy

I'm absolutely loving the revival of the statement necklace. Here are a few of the pieces I've been crushing on lately.

Topshop £12.50

Topshop £12.50

H&M £29.99

H&M £7.99

H&M £7.99

Miss Selfridges £18.50

Topshop £16.50

B xx

Brush Away

I was recently hooked up to the current 3 for 2 offer that Boots has on a lot of their beauty ranges by a very good friend. With in this offer are the Real Techniques brush range by Samantha Chapman of Pixwoo fame. For those of you who don't know these are some amazing make up brushes designed by Sam and even without them being on offer they are an equally amazing price, especially considering the quality that you're getting. The brushes I purchased were £9.99, £9.99 and £11.99 so I got one of the £9.99 brushes for free. The brushes range from £6.99 to £12.99 for individuals and £21.99 for a set.

(L-R) Blush Brush, Expert Face Brush and Stippling Brush

Of course I couldn't wait to use them as you can see. These brushes are so soft to the touch but still sturdy enough to get the job done with outstanding results. They are made from ultra-plush, synthetic taklon bristles are hand-cut and 100% cruelty-free. I have not come across many bad reviews on this brush range and for good reason. They really do give a flawless finish when used in the correct manor. Sam has even made a load of tutorial videos on her YouTube channel, Real Techniques, to show you how to use them.

I know this offer is still currently running at all UK Boots stores and online, but I'm not sure when it ends. Possibly in the next week as I purchased mine almost 2 weeks ago. So if you want to take advantage of this off you'd best hurry.

B xx

http://www.pixiwoo.com/

https://twitter.com/pixiwoos

https://www.youtube.com/user/realtechniques

Real-Techniques-Blush-Brush

Real-Techniques-Expert-Face-Brush

Real-Techniques-Stippling-Brush

In The Shade

After sitting on my wish list for the last 18 months I finally gave in and purchased my Urban Decay Naked Palette. Yes, I know, way behind this band wagon. The palette comes with a mini Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion for the eyes to prevent creasing of those all important looks and a pro quality Urban Decay Good Karma shadow brush, which currently retails at £16.50 if bought separately.

Urban Decay Naked Palette

The palette comes in 12 beautiful neutral colours in a mixture of matte, shimmer, satin and sparkle shades that really would suit so many different skin tones.

Photo taken without the flash

Photo taken with the flash to see how the light affects the colours in the palette

I'd previously hesitated getting this palette before due to the price. Some department stores in the UK were trying to charge a whopping £52 which, I'm sorry, is a bit too much for me to be spending on a 12 colour shadow palette. However since before Christmas, Debenhams have been selling them for £36, a much more reasonable price for a higher end make up palette. So you can imagine the smile on my face when I went into Debenhams last weekend to get a mother's day present to see it was a money off weekend in the whole store and found there was 10% off. Don't you just love it when that happens. How could I resist, it had to come home with me. I can't wait to get started using this palette. I already have two looks in my head I'd like to try.

Ironically enough though the other reason I caved in and got it was because for the last 7 months I've not been able to find my Sleek Caribbean Curacao palette which I'd used only once.

Sleek Caribbean Curacao Palette 

I hunted high and low for this damned palette, turned my make up box out several times. Had the sofa and bed out in case it had fallen behind but it was not to be found. Putting on my make up a yesterday and admiring the new addition to the family, I look back into my box and there it is, smiling at me. It seems that after all this time it had stuck itself to the bottom of the top tray of my make up box and had finally decided to fall down and show itself.

I had forgotten what beautiful vibrant colours it has which is what attracted me to buy it in the first place. Unfortunately, Sleek have discontinued this palette. However their Acid palette is almost identical, boasting very similar colours.

Sleek Acid Palette

With such an array of beautiful colours before me I really don't know where to start. Here's to some very pretty eye looks.

B xx

http://www.urbandecay.co.uk/

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion

Urban Decay Good Karma Eye Shadow Brush

Sleek i-divine Acid Palette

London Fashion Weekend

This year I finally got round to going to the London Fashion Weekend, a smaller lower key event held as a follow up to London Fashion Week. Like the main event its also held at Somerset House and is most definitely a fun day out for anyone into fashion and styling or just looking to do something a little bit different. I managed to catch a couple of shows and had a walk around the various stalls they had available.

As usual it was as cold as ever in good old London meaning I really had to wrap up whilst still trying to get a little bit of glam in there. Chose this old All Saints maxi dress with a leather aviator jacket from H&M, suede gilet from New Look and bag from Primark.

The Saturday shows were presented by Zoe Hardman

The afternoon show I caught was based on four trends that had really dominated SS13 LFW. Put together by fashion icon Hilary Alexander, she pulled looks that she felt would be influencing and inspiring us this season.

Graphic Art

 Urban Lifestyle

Eastern Promise

Doll's House

A full run down of the trends can be found at the following link.

http://londonfashionweekend.co.uk/index.php/catwalk/trend-shows

The Tony and Guy Fashion Fix  Hair Salon

Elizabeth Arden Spa Bar

The second show were of pieces and looks by Issa

I definitely have the bug for this now and can't wait to go again in Autumn.

B xx