Friday Favourite: Gilly Hicks

I have a confession. I have a newfound obsession with Gilly Hicks sleep wear. The brand is fairly new to the UK but being the sister brand of Abercrombie & Hollister, I've been a regular customer ever since it opened in Westfield London in November last year. Earlier this year saw the launch of a huge joint store of Gilly Hicks and Hollister on Regents Street which I was obviously very happy about. I've eyed up a couple of pyjama shorts before when I've been in store but never actually invested in any. It was only recently when the temperature dropped and I realised that I don't own any cosy Winter PJ's that I decided to take a look at the GH website and finally thought I'd order a pair. That's ONE pair..but as always I got distracted and noticed there was £5 international shipping so thought I'd take advantage. Somehow I ended up checking out my basket with four pairs of pyjama bottoms, two long and two short, and two lounge tops to wear with them. Since they arrived I have been living in them; changing into them as soon as I get in and finding it very hard to change out of them each morning. They are so comfortable and soft, possibly the cosiest and cutest loungewear I've owned. Worth every penny because I was already shivering in September so these will ensure I'm snug and warm throughout the bleak Winter months ahead. I ordered the Latham Park Sleep Pants in navy, Kingsgrove in navy, Lion Island in navy & white dot, Riverwood Sleep Short in navy check, Callala Beach Tank in white and Maroubra Tee in heather grey. Gilly Hicks also do cute underwear and preppy clothing but for now I'm ignoring both of those and going back to snuggling up in my cosy new PJ's.

Seasonal Staples

I would not get through the cold Winter months without my trusty boots. Anyone who knows me will know I'm a boots girl during A/W and slip on the sandals as soon as I catch a glimpse of sun or some warmer weather. I live in them day in, day out, without fail, and they definitely get worn out. I just think boots are so easy to work with, you can wear them casually in the day with some skinnies and chunky knits, or just as easily work them into a more dressy look - I'm thinking rocking up a cute dress with some tights and boots for an edgy feel. This year I've invested in a long pair of boots which I hope will get their wears worth  for a few years and three (yes, three...eek) pairs of ankle boots which I will pair with my various Autumn/Winter wardrobe.

I've dedicated a post to the first pair of ankle boots already so I won't bore you by babbling on repeating my self but I love them so check them out :) 

Here are my investment boots. Named so because I'm really hoping they last me and are worth the investment. I usually buy a pair of long boots every year if not every other year and wear them so much that they almost fall apart so thought this year I would invest in a classic pair that should see me through for a while. This lovely pair is from Russell and Bromley and to my surprise due to their look, are entirely made from leather. They're sturdy and comfortable and because of the stretchy pleated soft leather, fit like a glove around my calf as well as having a great texture to admire!

I've blogged before about my well-loved Kurt Geiger boots but unfortunately they've finally given up on me (I told you I wear my boots to death!) and I've had to send them to the shoe mender in hope that they can be fixed up with some TLC. I know that I could wear them with almost any outfit though so decided another pair of little black ankle boots would be a welcomed new staple in my wardrobe. These ones from Next are much cheaper than the Geigers but are still leather and really good quality. I just love the cute little tassels, makes a change to having a boring old zip :)

My final pair of boots is also from Next (Next did good this year!) and are a pair of wedge boots. They're also available in black but I thought it would make a nice change to have a mink pair of boots as I tend to gravitate towards black at this time of year. The wedge is so comfortable and can look both casual and dressy but these are suede so will take more looking after thanks to the constant rain we get in the UK towards the end of the year!

Are you a boots girl like me or do you dedicated to your flats?

September Empties

There's something about empties posts that I love. Hauling new items is one thing, but using up a whole product and deciding whether it's worthy of repurchasing again or best to try something new is somehow more satisfying for me. I think it's because it's not just a first impression of a product after having just bought it, but instead you've emptied it, so you've used it long enough to gain a real impression and experience of the product to able a fair review. These are the products I've finished this month; for each one I'll tell you a little bit about what I think of it.

I got Soap & Glory's Foam Call as part of a 3 for 2 deal in Boots and I've loved the other products I've tried from the brand so I was expecting big things. And as always, Soap & Glory delivered. I love this body wash. When used with my shower puff it really does foam up and the scent is like nothing I've smelt before; it's their new Fruitigo fragrance and it smells so fresh and zingy, a great wake up call in the morning. I don't find it super moisturising but it doesn't dry out my skin and I rely on my body butters to moisturise anyway so I'll definitely be repurchasing this!

TIGI Bed Head Headrush shine spray was a gift a while back and I used it religiously before forgetting about it, but after recently rediscovering it I'm not sure what all the fuss was about before really. It does smell amazing but I don't notice much of a shine in my hair after using it so this was just a case of using it up really, personally I think there are better shine treatments on the market.

I could not live without Batiste dry shampoo. The amount of times I have used it to rescue a bad hair day and give it some volume and oomph or simply just to freshen up my hair between washes, it truly is a live safer! I've been through a ridiculous amount of these before and will continue repurchasing because for me Batiste works best. I've tried other dry shampoos but nothing lives up to this one for me - and it comes in an amazing range of scents..I'm currently loving this cherry one :)

Chanel Vitalumière Aqua compact, now for me this is a love/hate product. I absolutely adore the liquid version of this foundation and it makes my skin look flawless without it being thick and cakey, so naturally when it got released in compact form I snapped it up. Unfortunately it just doesn't work the same for me and it's a bit of a cheat empty really because I actually passed it on to my mum to use up. She loves it and it looks amazing on her skin but unlike me, she has dry/normal skin. I'll definitely be sticking to the liquid Vitalumière Aqua but I think I'll have to consider buying a refill for my mum for Christmas (shhh!)

I think this is the third bottle of Caudalie Beauty Elixir I've been through. Mainly because I buy the small 30ml size for it's practical handbag friendly size to spritz when I need freshening up. I love this product, using it as part of my daily makeup routine acting as a toner before application and a setting spray once finished. It's so refreshing and will remain a staple in my makeup bag for a while I think.

Bare Minerals Pure Transformation night treatment was a risky purchase for me because I really wasn't sure how going to bed with what was effectively mineral powder makeup on would benefit my skin. But to my surprise it worked a treat and I really noticed a difference in my skin with it looking clearer and brighter after using it daily for a couple of weeks. I used it religiously until it finished but don't think I'll repurchase because I just can't justify it's £45 price tag. I think sticking to mineral foundation (see my post on it here) is enough for my skin for now.

Lastly my beloved Soap & Glory Hand Food which is probably one of the best hand creams I've used. It smells ah-may-zing and really does its job well. I've moved on to another favourite hand cream of mine by L'Occitaine now purely for a change but will definitely go back to this at some point (I have one in stock ready!)

London Fashion Weekend Mini-Haul

As promised, here is my follow up post on the few items I snapped up at London Fashion Weekend this season. I could have spent hours browsing through all the gorgeous rails of clothes and accessories. Equally so, I could have easily spent half my life savings on all the things I had my eye on. This time I did restrain myself and narrowed it down to a few pieces that I just couldn't resist.

Three of the five items I purchased were jewellery. I am a bit of a self-confessed jewellery fiend and am known for having stacks of bracelets up my arm on a daily basis. However I never stray from anything sterling silver. Personally I would rather spend a little more money on a piece of jewellery if it means I can wear it daily without it tarnishing (or turning my fingers green!), so naturally when I spotted the Wishlist London stand (see their website here) I was in my absolute element.

All their designs "offer spiritual meaning and protection" using symbols like Evil Eye, Hamsa Hand and the Peace sign. While I don't worry about the spiritual meaning in things, I am drawn to ethnic feeling jewellery and so when I spotted the Hamsa Hand necklace I found it difficult to walk away!

I think it looks so simple and delicate when paired with a casual outfit and the tiny White Cubic Zirconium stones catch the light without making it look too sparkly..avoiding the cheap look in my eyes. I absolutely love this piece.

The next two I spotted on a hand of one of the assistants who was helping me at the stand. She was wearing a double finger ring and a chain ring. The combination of the two worn together looked great but I think each individual piece could look stunning when worn alone. Alongside sterling silver, Moonstone is something I love in jewellery so the chain ring was perfect for me. I love the bohemian feel that the chain ring gives while still staying really delicate and simple.

Note: I'm wearing Essie's Bahama Mama on my nails Link!

I recommend checking out Wishlist London if you're going to LDWend yourself, there are also gold options available as well as cute little bracelets with bright coloured thread and charms. I was told their website is currently being redesigned and updated at the moment so don't worry if you can't get to the event, all their beautiful stock will be online soon! And what's more, with every piece sold, Wishlist London donates a percentage of the profit to War Child to protect children living in some of the World's most dangerous war zones. What more could you want?! A beautiful piece of jewellery and a worthwhile cause! (It's a no-brainer for me!)

My last two items were both from Twenty8Twelve, a brand linked to Sienna Miller (here's their website) and I have always lusted over it because of it's beautiful tailoring and gorgeous printed fabrics but the price tag was always an issue! Luckily this was not the case at LFWend with all the prices slashed. I managed to find two hidden beauties amongst the rails of endless clothes. One a relatively plain everyday grey cotton t-shirt which I plan to pair with jeans, boots and a leather jacket in the Winter, and the the other a cute little silk skirt in a beautiful print which I can wear on nights out or for dinner dates etc. I can't wait to style these pieces (OOTD's to follow, keep your eyes peeled!)