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?

Style Spotlight: Sharon

Instead of focusing purely on my own style posts, I thought it would be different to do a series of feature posts of people in my life who provide me with style inspiration, the first being my step-mum. Knowing Sharon, I'm sure she would much rather live in comfy cosy leggings and hoodies on a daily basis (don't we all?), but she manages to look great even on the school run. What I love about her style is how she manages to put together  an outfit using simplistic pieces, often layering in the winter using chunky knitwear and scarves. She also has possibly the most extensive shoe, bag and jewellery collection of all the people I know (I'm jealous, can you tell?) and accessorises every outfit down to a tee.

I managed to persuade Sharon to let me quickly snap some photos before she headed out to dinner and this outfit sums up her style perfectly. She paired a simple River Island tee with a pair of black leggings and a classic black blazer from New Look, completing the look with some black boots and throwing on a scarf from Debenhams (this being one of my favourites that she owns). Keeping a monotone colour palette makes Sharon's outfit simple and chic and she's kept the jewellery minimalistic wearing a Karen Millen cuff and a few ChloBo rings. Continuing the monochromatic theme with her Louis Vuitton patent black Alma bag finishes the look.

I hope you enjoy this twist on style posts & thanks to Sharon for making an appearance on the blog :)

Review: Sara Happ Lip Scrub

I'm sure many of you have heard of Sara Happ's infamous Lip Scrubs and The Lip Slip; amazing luxurious treats for you lips which are hugely popular with many celebrities including Rachel Zoe, Reece Witherspoon and Gwyneth Paltrow to name a few. I always had my eye on her products but couldn't justify the hefty price tag that comes with them. This all changed when I tried the Blood Orange lip scrub that I added to my basket on a whim while stocking up at Beautybay.com. I'd heard such great things about these scrubs that it had a lot to live up to when it arrived, but it promised a result and it definitely delivered. It buffed away all the dry, chapped skin from my lips, leaving them soft and supple and most of all really plump and healthy looking.

The limited edition Blood Orange flavour of this cult favourite is enriched with moisturising jojoba and grape seed oils and naturally flavoured with blood orange extract. All of Sara Happ's lip scrubs smell and taste amazing so if you're anything like me, you will undoubtably want to be scrubbing them all day! I tend to use mine as part of my morning routine, after washing my face, leaving my lips prepped for whatever makeup I decided to wear that day. I absolutely adore the bright pink blood orange lip scrub with it's delicious citrus scent but am tempted to purchase the Green Apple lip scrub next because I imagine it can't get much better than the sweet, crisp apply freshness.

The entire range of Sara Happ products are available at Beautybay.com with the lip scrubs retailing at £19. A little goes a long way with this product so it lasts a long time...worth the investment if you want beautifully soft lips!

Autumnal Nail Shades

I have an excessive nail polish collection but the strong majority of the polishes I own are darker shades, my favourites being the vampy plums and almost blacks. While I do love the brights and pastels of Summer, there is something about the deep rich shades that return every Autumn and Winter that I'm drawn to, so I thought I would head to Boots & Superdrug to scout out ten of my favourite shades that I'll be wearing this season. I've chosen from a variety of brands and tried to include different tones and finishes so I hope you enjoy my autumnal nail picks!

From left to right:
Maxfactor Max Effect in 03 Red Bronze -  A gorgeous metallic bronze, reminds me of the falling leaves of Autumn.

Models Own in Red n Black - One of the aforementioned almost blacks, with a very slight tint of red.

Maybelline Forever Strong Pro in 786 Taupe Couture -  A dark grey toned taupe, perfect neutral nail for Autumn.

Barry M Nail Paint in 327 Magnetic Burgundy - A beautiful burgundy colour polish, reacting to the magnet with stripes of pink.

Barry M Nail Paint in 433 Magnetic Moon Dust - Similar effect with the magnet, resulting in gold and silver stripes, another great metallic shade for Autumn/Winter..would look great at Christmas.

Barry M Nail Paint in 327 Magnetic Burgundy. This is definitely one of my favourite shades from my selection, I love the berry tones and the stripes the magnet creates. Makes a change to plain block colour nails and is just as easy as a quick manicure.

From left to right: (excuse the nasty little cut on my first finger!)
Barry M Nail Paint in 343 Burgundy Croc - Another great polish from Barry M with a textured finish in a great vampy colour for Autumn.

Models Own Pro in Limited Edition 043 Pinky Grey - It's not all doom and gloom! This is a great neutral nail colour and is exactly what it says on the tin -  pinky grey! Slightly lilac I think, and great for days when you want to perk up a dark Autumnal outfit with a lighter colour nail. I'm finding this is the perfect transition colour from Summer to Autumn.

Essie Sole Mate - Very similar to Models Own Black n Red but much more red so looks like a dark burgundy on the nail rather than almost black.

No7 Stay Perfect in Thunderstorm - The photo does this colour no justice, it looks a lot more dark and black than it actually is (I'm sorry!) It's similar to Maybelline's Taupe Couture because of it's grey neutral shade but has a slightly blue/purple undertone which I really love.

Rimmel London Metal Rush in 80 Purple Reign - This has to be another of my favourites, it definitely steals the show. The Metal Rush polishes are part of Rimmel's AW12 collection and from the four polishes on offer, this one stood out. I just adore the bright purple metallic shade and think it will work well to brighten up an Autumn outfit.

Best of the bunch: Barry M's Burgundy Croc is a polish like no other. I've seen the crackle effects been done by so many brands and quite frankly, I'm tired of it! This is a new twist on things and yes, it does still crackle like the others but the cracks are more precise and it definitely does look very similar to a Crocodile skin. I used this over Maybelline Taupe Couture as to not detract from the effect but I'm thinking of trying it will the Rimmel Metal Rush polish next to see how that contrast works. When finished with a slick of Sally Hansen's Mega Shine, it truly does mimic that of a patent mock-croc bag. Love it!

So there you have it, my nail polish picks for Autumn. Let me know if you'll be sporting any of these yourself this season!

ChloBo After Dark

I mentioned ChloBo in a couple of my previous posts (here and here) as well as telling you briefly that their latest collection is After Dark. This is my favourite collection from ChloBo yet; I love the current metallic trend of this season and After Dark reflects this using semi precious stones Pyrite and Haematite. Both these stones are dark intense black and bronze metallics and there's something about them that just makes me think of Winter sparkles and Christmas. I'll be wearing them non-stop this Winter but I'm sure they will complement my sterling silver stack consisting of Dreamlands (a previous collection from ChloBo) and Iconic bracelets.

Chloe was inspired to name and create the After Dark collection after a visit to Istanbul. Chloe says "By day the old town is teaming with tradesmen and traffic and the pavements are hot and dusty. As the city's lights switch on at dusk, the place becomes a twinkling kingdom and the glitz and glam come out to play." This amazing city sounds beautiful and Chloe has translated this beauty into her designs in a way that only Chloe could. The collection is a plethora of Pyrite and Haematite with contrasting Cubic Zirconia charms and she has even introduced some delicate fine chains, a cute new design for ChloBo.

I have the Pyrite Inset Sparkle Cross and Pyrite Sparkle Hamsa Hand and I absolutely love them, although I have got my eye on the Haematite Inset Peace Necklace which is stunning. Do you have any favourites from the ChloBo After Dark collection?

 ChloBo Pyrite Inset Sparkle Cross and Pyrite Sparkle Hamsa Hand

Review: Maybelline Master Smoky

Master Smoky shadow pencil in Smoky Black/Smoky Chocolate & Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express Smoky Eyes Mascara

My first ever mascara was Maybelline Great Lash which I adored at the time, but since discovering that there is makeup beyond Maybelline, I've tended to neglect the brand, sometimes trying out the odd mascara which usually impresses me but I never follow through and give it any more attention. Recently I've seen the pairing of Maybelline Master Smoky shadow pencils and the Colossal Volum' Express Smoky Eyes Mascara everywhere and decided I had to give in and to see what all the hype was about.

I was really impressed with the mascara. I'm not sure I noticed the 'matte kohl look' it claims to provide but wasn't bothered by that. The mascara lengthens and darkens my lashes dramatically but I was disappointed with it's application. Although it does catch all the lashes well, including the bottom lashes, I find it started to go clumpy on a second application. I prefer my mascara's to be buildable so will have to consider whether I mind sacrificing that for the length and strong black it offers.

In all the campaigns I've noticed the shadow pencils have been used to create really dramatic dark eyes, and while I will try that for an evening look, I first used it solely on my top lash line to see the effect for a daytime makeup look. I was pleased with the result; the pencil glides on smoothly creating an intense saturated and pigmented line, and when smudged out with the smudge sponge on the opposite end, it does blur the harsh line creating a smoky effect. The only draw back for me is that the smudge sponge can tug at the eyelid if you're not gentle, but if you aren't firm enough the pencil doesn't smudge well...dilemma? For a subtle daytime look, I only used a small amount, but I'll be interested to see how it looks with more product used (I'll keep you posted!) I bought the pencil in both brown and black and personally think that brown will work best for everyday looks, and the black for strong dark evening eyes. For me the shadow pencils work best to simple enhance the mascara, in place of a typical eyeliner.

One coat of Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express Smoky Eyes Mascara with a little smudge of Master Smoky shadow pencil in Smoky Black

Maybelline Master Smoky shadow pencils and Colossal Volum' Express Smoky Eyes Mascara are available at Boots, Superdrug and other drugstores. Tell me if you have a different experience with either of them!

The Dressing Room

The Dressing Room is a local boutique in St. Albans, and while I'm sorry this post seems directed at UK readers, they do have a fabulous website to check out here! (10% off your first order!)

Every time I'm in St. Albans I always visit The Dressing Room. Without fail. Everything from their window displays to their presentation of stock and friendly, inviting staff is amazing. The modern interior is beautiful with a big shop floor and plenty of space to peruse the gorgeous rails of hand picked brands, ranging from Current/Elliot denim to Butter by Nadia evening dresses. Their changing rooms are also just as beautifully designed, with personal stylists to hand if you require so. I can guarantee that if you visit The Dressing Room you will find it near impossible to leave without being satisfied and buying something you really love.

One of the main reasons I pop in there is to feed my ChloBo addiction (more about ChloBo in my post here) and they have such a great range of the brand there, beautifully displayed, often even having Dressing Room exclusive bracelets - one of which my mum snapped up (she is also obsessed with ChloBo...must be hereditary?!). They also have seasonal events where you get a special discount, Dressing Room exclusives, goodie bags and cocktails provided by Mokoko (which are delicious by the way) - a fantastic way to relax and see what the latest trends are.

Deryane Tadd is the owner of the award-winning boutique and if she's not out discovering new and exciting brands to stock in The Dressing Room, she is usually on the shop floor and every time I've met her she's been lovely. All her staff are also just as friendly and make sure your shopping experience is enjoyable; I often end up chatting away about the latest brands or what I love in the shop. Pop in if you're ever in Herfordshire; St. Albans is a charming little town with plenty of other great shops and restaurants on offer, as well as quaint little pubs and bars in the evening and market days twice a week. The Dressing Room is easy to spot with it's cute topiary pots either side of the stunning window displays! Keep your eyes peeled and say hello to Deryane if you see her, if the greeting and service I always get is anything to go by, I can guarantee you'll be one happy shopper!