House of Fraser SS15 Press Day: A Fashionista's Paradise

So this year I've been going to lots of press days especially for the SS15 season. I just love seeing the samples of upcoming collections, it's exciting to see the trends, colours and styles before they hit the streets.

One of my favourites so far has been the House of Fraser press day as I loved walking through the rails of floor-length, embellished gowns fit for royalty, laid-back bright tops with jeans and statement metallic jackets. 

There were so many things I walked by and said 'yep, I would so buy that', which is usually a good sign. I'm now so excited for the SS15 season as I think we'll be seeing a lot of daring yet fun and vibrant designs which you'll be able to browse through in House of Fraser. Their selection of brands is top-quality and there really is something for everyone. 

I'm going to let you take a look for yourself at some of my favourites... 

Look out for the Michael Kors top with the gold chain, it's SO me! I absolutely love it, along with the metallic jacket and- actually, I just love it all to be honest... 

My OOTD! Classic & black with an embellished purse :) 

My Current Beauty Favourites! Feat. Smooch, Seascape & W7 Cosmetics

So it's been a couple of months since I've expanded into beauty and I am honestly so glad I did because I've had the chance to explore so many amazing products that I wouldn't have known about otherwise. I'm slowly building up my collection with some lovely skincare and makeup treats.

Admittedly I really don't over-do the makeup, in fact I keep telling myself I'll learn how to do eyeshadow techniques properly and I never do. I just keep it simple with a basic skincare regime, foundation, eyeliner, mascara and some lippy for everyday use (I am thinking of going on a course so I can learn a few tips and tricks which I will definitely share so keep an eye out *wink*).

I thought I would share a few products I've been absolutely loving for the last month. Half is skincare and half is makeup from the likes of Seascape, Smooch and W7 Cosmetics. Enjoy!

Here's my lovely range of products that I received, all cutely wrapped in pink. LOVE! The Seascape Hand & Nail Cream is amazing as it offers rapid healing for hands which are chapped from the cold and the sleep oil is perfect when you want to cuddle up in bed and need something to soothe you after a hard day's work. The scent isn't too overpowering which is good as a lot of lavender fragrances tend to be a bit too harsh for me.

The W7 Purple Haze palette is lovely for this season as hues of purple and pinks are always on-trend as the weather gets colder. This is nice to keep with you as you can easily use the lighter shades for a daytime look and switch it up with the darker purple for a night out. So convenient!

This is the W7 Angel Eyes palette which I cannot express to you how much I adore! I am definitely lacking in eyeshadows as I always skip that part of my makeup so I am so glad to have something with neutral shades and some which are shimmery enough to use as a base with some eyeliner for a night out. This would be great if you like to blend together a couple of shades and try something new or if you're looking for a shimmery smokey eye for an upcoming christmas party perhaps :)

Also from W7 Cosmetics is their Full Colour Lipstick in shade 'Sandpiper'. Now, if this isn't a statement lipstick, I don't know what is! The pigment is INSANE and the colour you get on first application is very bright. This is definitely for the ladies who are looking for maximal colour and long-lasting wear. The texture is creamy and very smooth and I love the rich shade of fuchsia this offers. It would look lovely with a minimal black or white dress.

This is from the Smooch Duo Eyeshadow palette called 'Dare to Bare'. This is SUCH a good-sized palette to throw into your makeup bag as it it's very compact and has a decent mirror inside for on-the-go application. As you can see from the swatches, the shades are just so so so pretty and highly pigmented. I expected good-quality from Smooch and I 100% got it. You can imagine how stunning this would look on the eye as it really shimmers in the light. Highly recommend!

Also from Smooch is their Berry Kiss lipstick which I have been using to death. Honestly I wear it at least 3 times a week now because I think the purple is perfect for AW14 and the colour isn't too OTT for the daytime. It applies amazingly well and feels smooth on the lips. The colour payoff is pretty good and it does manage to stay longer than some of the other lipsticks I have from No 7 for instance, so that's a major plus! 

The Showstopper

Whilst I adore all the products, I have to admit that the star of the show has to be the Seascape Peppermint Lip Balm  It's been on my mind to buy a good lip scrub because during the Winter I think its necessary to keep lips smooth before they turn into a peeling mess. This is honestly a godsend and I can't stress how amazing it is. I use it under all my lipsticks now and throughout the day as it has a scrub feel to it yet it is still quite gentle, plus the natural peppermint fragrance is lovely and cooling on the lips. It immediately smoothens out your lips, providing a great base for colour or just if you need a helping hand to get through the day. 

Pearl Divine Rainbow Quartz Crystal Necklace: Mystically Beautiful

Recently, I've been going through a bit of a phase of realisation. I've abandoned jewellery for a long time... I'm not too sure why but I've just been really boring with everything and I've only been going for the usual studs, a watch and maybe a bracelet if I'm feeling adventurous. 

Why?!?!

Jewellery is literally everything. It can add so much to a dull outfit and it can change your mood completely. I love finding new pieces now, especially ones which I may not usually go for because change is a must when it comes to style (in my opinion anyway). 

How cute is the packaging :O

Saying this, I'm so happy to collaborate with Pearl Divine, a unique and affordable jewellery range. When I saw their Rainbow Quartz necklace I just HAD to have it because it's so original to everything I've seen!  

The colours are absolutely stunning as you can see hues of blue, green, purple and gold as you turn the stone in the light. I love it because it has a rainbow palette so you can wear it with a black or white top/dress to add some colour this season.

Here I'm wearing the necklace with a fluffy black jumper. The crystal sits on a 24-inch, silver-plated chain so it is fairly long, yet the length makes this a very versatile piece to wear. It's great if you want to wear a necklace that will take you from day to night and attract a few compliments along the way.

It's honestly such a beautiful necklace. It makes a lovely change from the usual high-street statement pieces out there as this creates a statement through its sheer beauty and the detail it has in its colour and structure of the pendant. Being a natural gemstone, each pendant will be slightly different to the next, making each necklace unique in its own way. I personally love this as it adds to the naturalness of the necklace, enhancing its rarity.

For £8, I think Pearl Divine offers heaven on a silver chain...

The newly-established online store has lots of other gorgeous pieces for very reasonable prices if you want to check them out. I really think the range is perfect especially for the upcoming Christmas period if you're looking for personal and stylish gifts with a bit of edge and originality.

You can also follow them on Twitter to keep up to date with the brand :) xo

DreamDots for Spots: Finally, Something that ACTUALLY Works!

Okay, so I've never reviewed any spot treatments before because they're not usually something I incorporate into my skincare routine regularly. Admittedly, I never really used to get any breakouts- it just wasn't a big issue for me. I wish I could say the same... It could definitely be worse but to go from almost nothing to actually seeing visible breakouts is quite disheartening. 100% this is because I've been under enormous amounts of stress from moving and working towards deadlines. 

I just find that average spot treatments can be a bit of a hassle and I never remember to follow through with applying products twice or three times a day. For the most part I rely on my usual cleanse-tone-moisturise steps  and if I do by chance get a breakout, I just try and deal with it and move on.

When I heard about DreamDots, I initially thought... wow this is seriously innovative. When you come to think of it, why hasn't anyone thought of this before? Although you do also think 'okay, fine it's innovative but how well does it actually work?'

I can tell you now... it DOES work! 

The application is really simple and it's great for people like me who often forget to keep re-applying products. With DreamDots, all you have to do is place the dots over your trouble areas and let them do all the work whilst you sleep. 

What I love is that you forget 5 minutes later that you even have anything on your face at all. The become quite transparent once applied so they really don't look too visible at all. 

As you can see, they come in convenient little packets where you can peel one half to apply and take off the other when it's half-way on your skin.


When you wake up, you simply peel them off and in all honesty, you do see the difference right away. It's so refreshing to have a product in the market which puts you at ease when it comes to mother nature's erratic ways. I recommend everyone to try this as I'm so sure that you will love DreamDots just as much as I do!

The Labels Fashion Show 2014: Preby by Sylvia Fumudoh

I'm so happy that I got the chance to attend The Labels Fashion Show this year! 

As I entered the top floor of a Canary Wharf skyscraper, you could smell the luxury in the air. The drinks were flowing and networking was well underway. I met bloggers, models and photographers who were all chic as ever. Whilst we mingled in the lobby, we awaited an exciting fashion spectacle just around the corner. 

There were many talented designers who showcased their collections but one designer definitely stood out to me: Sylvia Fumudoh. 

Her collection entitled 'Preby' was simply stunning and definitely blew me away. Props to her for not only organising the entire event but for presenting an astonishing collection filled with glamorous figure-hugging sillouhettes and beautiful sparkling embellishments. 

One of my favourites from the show- I adore the richness of the blue teamed with the off-the-shoulder, seductive style of the dress. 

As every piece came down the runway, you couldn't help but think, 'Wow, I would love to wear something as elegant as that!'

Not only were the dresses flattering on the female body, they also showed signs of clear determination and effort behind their beauty. A lot of the dresses had massive amounts of work which explains why they turned out to be so stunning in the end. 

To get an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the show, including interviews with all the designers, take a look at the official video here: 

You can find out more about the talented designer herself here too!

Lyla Loves: Finally, an Affordable AND Stylish Jewellery Line!

As temperatures begin to drop and we pull out more knits and leggings, I think we can often be a bit less adventurous with our choices. I know that I often go for simple jumpers with leggings and boots... I struggle a bit with picking more statement pieces for sure.

Jewellery is definitely an element which can spice things up during any month though, especially during AW14. If you're wearing a simple knit, you can easily add a chunky necklace and a statement ring to create a bit more sparkle and glam.

Even for the daytime, adding some jewellery can work if you have some more understated pieces...

Thankfully I recently discovered Lyla Loves and I am not exaggerating when I tell you I was genuinely so so so impressed with her range, especially the affordability! So many of her items are only £1, I couldn't believe how cheap everything was! Plus her range is so large that you can find really dainty pieces like the Gold Lotus Flower Bracelet I bought or very elaborate statement necklaces.

The good thing is that whilst her range is affordable, Lyla still prides herself on creating quality jewellery so you don't have to worry about buying something which will break or show wear easily. Everything I've received has been top notch and I can easily see similar things being priced for 3 or 4x the amount in certain other retailers.

Let's be honest, when was the last time you found a store where you could get 8 items for £10? It's so exciting to receive that package in the post with an endless amount of treats... plus you don't feel guilty about it at all! It's fab for students like me :)

I HAD to Snapchat as soon as I got my Lyla Loves package- yes, I was THAT excited! 

So far, I've gotten quite a few things from Lyla Loves, including a free Multicoloured Bangle which is lovely for wearing with a plain blouse and jeans. After my first order, I couldn't resist placing another and Lyla kindly gifted me with the Orange Crystal Statement Necklace which I've actually worn three times already! 

 As you can see, everything sparkles and looks so chic! 

I really, really, really adored this Blue Spike Necklace below as the combination of turquoise blue and gold is stunning and I am a big fan of spikes and studs so I naturally loved this design. Only £3 too!

Below, you can see one outfit where I used the Orange Crystal Statement Necklace to add some glamour to my look for The Labels Fashion Show.

Bardot Top & Leather Skater Skirt: River Island
Necklace: Lyla Loves
Boots: Dorothy Perkins

This necklace is absolutely gorgeous. It sparkles and attracts so much attention, plus it's SO versatile so you can pair it with another shade of orange like me or wear it with other colours such as white, black, blue... whether you contrast or match is up to you! 

I will definitely be buying more jewellery from Lyla Loves as I have been so happy with everything I've gotten so far... I honestly don't know anywhere else where I can find the same quality for the same price.

vPersonalize: Now YOU Can Be a Designer!

Often, we have random spur-of-the-moment ideas where we step into the oh-so chic shoes of a fashion designer. We come up with designs that we would love to produce and wear ourselves. From the prints, fabrics, textures... we really think of it all!

But after a few short-lived moments, we usually trash those ideas.

'What's the point?', we often ask ourselves.

What if there actually WAS a way to make your ideas come to life though? Without much time, effort or money? I'm not talking about basic personalisation here. Not ripping some jeans or adding some beading to a top...

I'm talking about actually creating garments from scratch and deciding the details for every single element, just as a designer would.

Taking Exclusive to the Next Level...

I'm so glad I found about vPersonalize as the newly-launched company actually has such a simple concept, yet the site is designed with you in mind.

You can pick an item from their selection and customise every detail using their innovative technology and easy-to-use software.

So for instance, I had a look at their 'Designer Wear' section and chose a tunic.

The items come as a simple, plain garment for you to unleash all your creativity on. A blank canvas if you like.

Unleash Your Inner Designer!

Now, what I found really beneficial is the fact that you can actually choose custom sizes and even pick which material you want. So if I wanted to create the ultimate, luxurious silk tunic with an edgy, unconventional print... I could!

We don't always find the exact things we're looking for in stores and it can be hard to browse through thousands of ready-made products online. Even then, who's to say you're going to find something with the exact details you want? vPersonalize takes care of that by allowing you so much creative freedom to do exactly what you want! Who said custom-made clothing is only for celebs? 

So I was just playing around and I created the start of a very intergalactic, hipster-looking tunic! Naturally if I wanted something more subtle, I could do that. I can even add text and change the colours around for different parts of the tunic. The great thing about the software is that it gives you a 3D view of your item, ensuring that you can actually see what every part of the garment will look like.

What you design = what you will receive. What more could you want?!

I encourage you to check it out and let me know what you think! Have a play around with the functions and create something only you will get your hands on! They ship everywhere within the US but keep your eyes peeled for updates on their Facebook page if you're somewhere else :)