Thursday 26 January 2012

A date with the rain


It seemed quite fitting that due to the horrible wet weather we have been having this week that it was time to crack out one of my new dresses which have a pattern of cutesy umbrellas and polka dots on. I got it from Forever 21 as I was passing through Stratford Westfield City from Stratford International Station to Stratford London (honestly the person that decided to put a shopping centre between two stations is a genius).

I didn't really know much about Forever 21 before I went in apart from it being from America and only having one other store over in England on Oxford Street (which I haven't visited). I was amazed how cheap the clothes were but still looked fabulous, were pretty on trend and feel like they are going to last you more than one outing which is more than can be said for some of my old Primark purchases.

Close-up of the pattern

What I really like about this dress is that its so versatile, I can wear it in the day up to uni teaming it with a belt, tights and brogues or dress it up if I'm going out in the evening with some wedges. The length is flattering as it makes your legs look longer......can you tell I'm a little bit in love with this dress?? Forever 21 is definitely one of my favourite shops now as they prove you can dress on-trend without having to spend a fortune! Have any of you visited either of their shops over here?

 R xxx

Friday 20 January 2012

What's all the fuss about?

I have to admit I definitely wasn't Lana Del Rey's biggest fan when I first heard her last year after listening to Bombay Bicycle Club's cover of 'Video Games'  and wanting to hear the original. Her cosmetically enhanced lips and sultry pout that comes hand in hand with them seemed a bit over the top and thought to myself what is all the fuss about?

BUT!!!!! After several more listens and thinking about the lyrics the penny suddenly dropped and I had a complete U-turn, 'Off to the Races' was the icing on the cake for me. Her sudden surge in popularity is a massive achievement and her songs go deeper than typical songs that are in the charts at the moment. With her album coming out at the end of the month I really am getting quite excited and her lips are not quite so scary any more, I like it that she is slightly different and does have a pretty decent style going on (down to a stylist maybe? I'm not so sure) and I have serious hair envy!!

With 'Video Games' 'Off to the Races' and 'Born to Die' all being really popular so far I am certain her future songs off the album are going to do really well. Definitely predict big things for her in 2012.

Sunday 15 January 2012

Gilly Hicks girl

Being the impatient girl that I am I insisted that my sister open her birthday present before I came back to uni as I wouldn't be there on the actual day. Knowing that it was something from one of her favourite shops made seeing her face as she opened it even better! I got her a t-shirt from the shop- 'Gilly Hicks' and below is a picture of the birthday girl herself modelling it.



What is Gilly Hicks?
Gilly Hicks is the Australian sister brand of the American Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch empire. There is just one of their stores open in the U.K and that is in Westfield (Shepherds Bush). Unlike Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch, Gilly Hicks sells underwear as well as clothing (and some amazing perfume too). Gilly Hicks clothes can suit anyone that wants to achieve a 'girlie and preppy' look and with the right amount of florals and patterns you can end up feeling really special. The t-shirt that I bought my sister is one of their more casual pieces. Below are some of my favourite pieces from their current selection as well as a model demonstrating what type of look can be achieved with their clothes.





What with Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch becoming so 'mainstream' in the U.K at the moment Gilly Hicks still create the nice preppy look but without the fear when you buy something from there that 20 other girls you know are probably going to be wearing it too....

R xxx

Thursday 12 January 2012

Clinique trial

As someone who's beauty regime is minimalistic to say the least I decided that it might be time to get out of my bad habits and actually look after my skin a bit more.....


So I plucked up the courage to approach the scary make-up counter lady at Clinique (who actually turned out to be really lovely) and asked her what sort of thing I should be doing to look after my skin. After a thorough consultation she recommended I try their '3 step routine' which consists of a liquid facial soap that you apply first to remove your make-up (apparently make-up wipes actually rub make-up further into your pores than removing and cleaning.....who knew! or either she is a very convincing sales-woman!!). The next product to apply is the clarifying lotion that goes onto a cotton wool pad and then wiped around the face (this smells really good and you can feel it cleaning the skin as you apply it). Last in the process is the moisturising  gel which re-hydrates the skin. The '3-step' kit is available in four different types depending on skin type.


The make-up bag & my '3-step' kit


I bought the 3-step kit as it sounded like it really would do my skin a lot of good, I also bought some facial moisturiser which has sun protection in it (as apparently our lack of sunshine is still enough to cause damage) and I also got a FREE make-up bag with some mascara, eye cream, lip smoothie and eye shadow.


So am I satisfied? Well the woman was really helpful, she took the stress and confusion out of the process and was able to recommend just what I needed (as well as giving me some fab freebies). Apparently it take two weeks for the skin to start showing signs of improvement so I shall be keeping a close eye on it and reporting back!

Tuesday 10 January 2012

What did you expect?

As a massive massive fan of 'The Vaccines' I was thrilled to get one of their t-shirts from my sister for Christmas, and below is a picture of me modelling it, as it is a unisex t-shirt it is a little on the large side and not the most flattering if worn by itself.....BUT teamed with my skirt and a little bit of sleeve rolling.... and voila! 

T-shirt: 'The Vaccines' merchandise
Skirt: Pull and Bear
Necklace: Urban Outfitters


'The Vaccines' broke through at the beginning of last year with the release of their debut album 'What Did You Expect From the Vaccines' and it is a corker of an album, there is not one bad song on there and really suit any mood you are in. Although they are compared to 'The Strokes' and 'Arctic Monkeys' I think there is something a little bit different about them. I am really hoping to go and see them live at some point this year as I have heard nothing but good things about them! Below is the music video of their song 'If you wanna' definitely worth a listen! R xxx 



Tuesday 3 January 2012

A little bit about me and 2011

I wonder just how many people start a blog at the beginning of the year? Probably quite a lot!
As I am starting this at the beginning of 2012 it only seems right I look back and introduce you to what I got up to, what I was into, what music I listened to etc etc.


What I got up to:

  • Grew up a heck of a lot due to being at university and having to look after myself, who knew cooking, washing and the like took up so much time?!
  • Finished my first year of my degree at the University of Kent.
  • Went on some amazing trips to Devon, Guernsey and Brighton.
  • Fell in love with London- its parks, shops, landmarks, culture and history.
  • Great nights out with friends at local nightclubs, parties and bars.
  • Joined the university netball team and the socials that come hand in hand with it.
  • Discovered my love for aimless clothes browsing online despite lack of funds!
  • Became a music junkie for the likes of 'The Vaccines', 'Bombay Bicycle Club', 'M83', 'Foster the People' and 'Metronomy'.
  • Went and saw 'The Script', 'Get Cape Wear Cape. Fly' and 'You Me at Six' at gigs.






Pictures
  • Row 1: Netball initiation night, dressed as clowns! & holiday in Devon.
  • Row 2: Night out at Sugar Hut & The Script live at Brighton.
  • Row 3: Guernsey and the Summer Ball.
So there you have it, my year summarised! 

I'm not sure what direction this blog will go in but keep an eye out!

Coming soon: 
  • Musicians to watch out for in 2012.
  • Is it just me or.......
  • Latest adventures.
R xxxx